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Gervonta Davis is still reeling from his first career draw against Lamont Roach Jr. The pair fought on March 1st earlier this month, which was mired in controversy because of the now-infamous no-knockdown ruling by referee Steve Willis. To add insult to injury, a huge chunk of the public felt Roach Jr. had done enough to secure the win.

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This has led to a speedy rematch, which is rumored to take place in June—later this year. While Davis fans are counting on the Baltimore native to set the record straight, proving it was just a bad day at the office, others seem to think the 30-year-old has finally met his match. Boxing’s only three-weight undisputed champion Claressa Shields is predicting the same for their rematch.

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However, she has an interesting theory behind her prediction. While speaking to Fight Hub TV recently, the two-time Olympic gold medalist claimed Davis is losing interest in the sport and is depressed. This has led her to believe “Lamont has the mental edge” over the Baltimore knockout artist. She went as far as to share a bitter truth, stating, “I think anybody right now would have the mental edge over Tank.” Why?

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“To me, he just needs to take some serious time to deal with whatever he’s having to deal with,” Shields said. She acknowledged that nobody knows what’s going on with Davis mentally and emotionally, sharing her own experience fighting while depressed. “Me being a fighter, I have done plenty of camps where I was depressed and where I was going through anxiety.”

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Shields felt it’s not a simple matter to “get over, especially when you don’t have the support from certain people that you used to have.” While it’s unclear who Shields was referring to in this instance, several reports before the Davis-Roach fight had revealed that Davis’ coach, Calvin Ford, had stepped back from training Davis for the fight.

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In the meantime, a veteran promoter has issued a warning for ‘Tank’ Davis. 

Bob Arum claims he is not sure Gervonta Davis can change

Bob Arum has cast doubt on Gervonta Davis’ ability to return to elite form following his controversial draw against Lamont Roach. The legendary promoter believes Davis looked “ordinary” in the fight and questioned his commitment to the sport. “I think Davis has to start taking boxing seriously. It’s not just a media kind of thing,” Arum told Sean Zittel.

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“He seems kind of ordinary. I don’t know if he’s capable of changing.” Arum has been eyeing Davis as a possible opponent for his Top Rank stars, including Keyshawn Davis and Abdullah Mason. However, with Davis’ future uncertain, he could seek other lucrative fights, including a rematch with Ryan Garcia or even a bout with Jake Paul.

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That said, it appears the experts are siding with Lamont Roach Jr. for the rematch against Gervonta Davis. The Baltimore native will have to come back stronger to prove he is still the best lightweight in the world. Do you think Davis can steamroll Roach Jr?

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Written by

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Sudeep Sinha

4,781 Articles

Sudeep Sinha is a Golf Writer at EssentiallySports, covering the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and the storylines around the sport's biggest events and names. He previously spent over two years writing in the Boxing department, where his fight-night coverage was featured on Sports Illustrated, Daily Mail, and Yahoo Sports, including his reporting on Ryan Garcia's career arc. On the golf beat, Sudeep covers tour news, player form, and the season-long storylines that shape the men's and women's game, from majors to the ongoing shifts in how professional golf is structured. That same appetite for detail that made his boxing coverage stand out now shows up in how he breaks down a swing change or a schedule shakeup for hardcore and casual fans alike. Outside work, he splits his time between reading, cycling, and following combat sports.

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Gokul Pillai

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