Lamont Roach Jnr says he’s better than Frank Martin; will do better against Gervonta Davis

Lamont Roach Jnr says he brings far more to the table than Frank Martin, the undefeated lightweight contender who was knocked out in highlight-reel fashion by Gervonta “Tank” Davis in June.

“Respectfully, I’m not Frank Martin. Frank Martin started boxing when he was, what, 15?” Roach said in an interview with Naji Grampus of “Cigar Talk.” (Martin was actually 17, according to the Premier Boxing Champions website.)

“Frank Martin don’t got the experience that he needed – as everybody could see, it’s not like that I’m just talking shit or nothing like that – he didn’t have the experience to be in there with someone as skilled or as experienced as [Tank]. I got the same skill level as Tank. I got the same experience as Tank. I got the reflexes. I got the ability. I damn sure got the IQ. Question is, what makes people think I’m gonna end up like those guys that didn’t have the experience and skills?”

Davis is 30-0 (28 KOs). The only fighters to last the distance with him were German Meraz, back in 2014 when Davis was in his ninth pro fight, and Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz, whom Davis defeated by decision in 2021. After the Cruz bout, it was revealed that Davis had a hand injury.

Roach acknowledges Davis’ power but also believes in his own chin.

“I think I got hit on my shit a couple times. Ain’t nobody ever dropped me,” Roach said. “Ain’t nobody ever seen me hurt in no fight.”

A counter right hook that dropped Roach in his 2019 loss to Jamel Herring was ruled a slip – “The ref saw that my foot came up and I tripped. That’s why he didn’t call it a knockdown,” Roach said.

But Roach (25-1-1, 10 KOs), while proclaiming his own attributes, also acknowledges that Davis has few weaknesses.

“The ones that I do know, I’ll try to exploit,” Roach said. “It’s not gonna be easy. We all know that. He’s a hell of a fighter.”

David Greisman, who has covered boxing since 2004, is on Twitter @FightingWords2 and @UnitedBoxingPod. He is the co-host of the United Boxing Podcast. David’s book, “Fighting Words: The Heart and Heartbreak of Boxing,” is available on Amazon.