By Paul R. Jones! Washington, DC — Over the weekend, reigning World Champion, Lamont “The Reaper” Roach Jr. (25-1-1, 10 KOs), successfully defended his WBA Super Featherweight title, stopping Feargal “Fearless” McCrory (16-1, 8 KOs) in eight rounds at the Entertainment & Sports Arena in DC. With the win, Roach fulfilled a decade-old promise to bring a world title to the nation’s Capital and left little doubt about his place in the 130-pound division.
But, while there is uncertainty about who is truly ‘The Man’ at Super Featherweight, here are 3 undeniable takeaways from Roach’s victory and Roach Jr. vs. McCrory undercard:
- Roach Jr. aims for a world title unification bout next.
In the aftermath of Roach Jr.’s dominant win over McCrory, a logical question is: Where does he go from here?
Fortunately, Roach expressed interest in facing WBO champ Emanuel Navarrete (38-2-1, 31 KOs) and WBC champ O’Shaquie Foster (22-2, 12 KOs).
In fact, Roach spoke highly of Navarrete in his post-fight interview. Considering the potential style contrast, and that Navarrete will be highly motivated to win after looking vulnerable in his last two fights, pitting Roach against Navarrete is destined to produce a compelling, high-stakes matchup.
Roach also made it clear that he’s intent on inking a deal with Foster, assuming Foster successfully defends his world title on July 6th against, Robson Conceição (18-2-1, 1 NC).
Interestingly, IBF and IBO champion, Anthony Cacace (22-1, 8 KOs), wasn’t mentioned as part of Roach’s immediate plans. But Cacace undoubtedly remains a potential opponent if the opportunity presents itself.
Of course, fights between Roach and Navarrete, Foster, and/or Cacace will be predicated on whether Team Roach and the promoters of the other World Champions can play nice. However, Roach’s status as a promotional free agent helps, making a unification bout easier to pull off.
Hopeful Roach builds on the momentum he generated on Friday night, and hammers out a deal to unify titles at Super Featherweight. If so, it’s a win-win for Team Roach and the sport of boxing.
- Lester Martinez is a potential breakout candidate that you’ve probably never heard of — well, until now!
Although a handful of fighters shined on the undercard — including Rianna Rios (8-0, 1 KO) who snagged the Women’s WBA International Bantamweight Championship after outpointing Mary Romero over 8 rounds, and Travon Marshall (10-1, 8 KOs) who shut out Luis Sanchez (9-6, 6 KOs) over 6 rounds — undefeated Super Middleweight, Lester Martinez (18-0, 15 KOs), emerged as a standout on the televised card, defeating former IBO Super Middleweight World Titlist, Carlos Gongora (22-3, 17 KOs), over 10 rounds to claim the WBA Continental Latin America Super Middleweight Championship.
After a slow start, Martinez, of Guatemala, used controlled aggression and bruising body shots to wear down Gongora over the remainder of the fight and close the scoring gap — consistently getting the better of the exchanges, and repeatedly snapping Gongora’s head back with heavy hooks and crosses.
And as Gongora’s work rate plummeted in the championship rounds, the Guatemalan powerhouse continued to target Gongora’s head, nearly scoring a knockdown in the final round after landing a torrent of punches on Gongora’s chin.
Taken together, Martinez showcased his potential in the Division, flashing major upside and neutralizing power in breaking down a former world titlist. With his fan-friendly style, Martinez should be added to your boxing watch list ASAP.
- Rene Tellez Giron produced the night’s lone upset in a blood-soaked thrill ride.
Shameless movie review clichés aside, Rene Tellez Giron (20-3, 13 KOs), of Mexico, produced a thrilling upset by defeating Alex Dilmaghani (20-3-1, 7 KOs).
Despite height and reach disadvantages, and finding himself down on the scorecards after two competitive rounds, the 5’5” Giron used consistent pressure and thudding body shots to overwhelm Dilmaghani, and ultimately lead to a seventh-round corner stoppage.
This fight was a highly entertaining and bloody affair, ending in a well-earned win for Giron.
All things considered, the unforgettable battle between Giron and Dilmaghani was THE bloodiest fight that I’ve ever attended live. And, not only did the canvas give off major crime scene vibes, but I finished off my blood-stained notes at the end of the fight feeling more like a trauma center surgeon than a ringside reporter for East Side Boxing.
Nevertheless, because of the lessons I learned from this matchup, I’ll be packing a medical-grade face shield in my boxing travel bag from this day forward. Because you never know when you’re going to have a front row seat to the next boxing bloodbath.
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About the Author:
Paul R. Jones! is a longtime boxing writer and ringside photographer. His articles, photographs, and commentaries have appeared online, in print, and in scholarly journals. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @boxingepicenter. You can also email him at [email protected].
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