Reigning WBA Lightweight World Champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis and WBA Super Featherweight World Champion Lamont Roach kicked off fight week events on Wednesday with a media workout at the storied Gleason’s Gym ahead of their title fight on Saturday, March 1, headlining a PBC Pay-Per-View event on Prime Video from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Joining them were undercard fighters including WBA Super Lightweight World Champion José “Rayo” Valenzuela and contender Gary Antuanne Russell, who duel in the co-main event; WBC Super Lightweight World Champion Alberto Puello and mandatory challenger Sandor Martín; and rising super welterweight star Yoenis Téllez and former unified world champion Julian “J-Rock” Williams, who kick off the PPV at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
Davis: ‘Roach Is In For A Rude Awakening’
Davis disappointed some of the fans and media present by restricting his appearance to an interview.
Davis said he’s looking to fighting in the lively atmosphere in Brooklyn. ““The atmosphere at Barclays is always amazing. “I won my first championship here and I’m just excited to come back here to put on a great performance.
“Roach is in for a rude awakening, for sure. He’s trying to psyche himself up, but it comes down to skill. Whoever is the most skilled fighter will be the winner.
“Knocking someone out feels like a home run,” explained Davis. “When it hits the sweet spot of the bat, and it goes far, that’s how it feels for me.”
But Davis also showed some respect toward his opponent. “You’ll see fireworks. I’m sharp, fast, and explosive. Lamont is sharp, too. It’s going to be a banger, and the fans will be the true winners this Saturday night.”
Davis said he intends to be more active in 2025, with the goal of three fights before the end of the year.
Roach: ‘If He’s Going to Troll, I’m Going to Troll’
Roach says he knows the stakes are high, and he won’t hold back against Davis.
“I’ve trained to be in the best physical and mental shape I can possibly be in. I’ve been doing big fights since I started out as a pro,” listing undercard appearances in support of Bernard Hopkins and Canelo Alvarez on big stages. “I’m no stranger to any of this, and it doesn’t affect me at all.
Roach also showed respect to the champion. “At the end of the day, there’s mutual respect between each other. But if he’s going to troll, I’m going to troll. This is everything for me, and becoming a two-division champion would be a dream come true for me.”
Valenzuela and Russell Intend to Steal the Show
Jose “Rayo” Valenzuela will be making the first defense of the title he won from Issac Cruz, saying winning the belt is motivating him to become stronger, faster, and smarter.
“I have a big task ahead of me on Saturday night. I can’t overlook him, and I give him my respect. We are both coming to fight. I have a lot of things that he doesn’t in his arsenal, like body shots.
“My trainer has given me great confidence, and it just clicks. It shows with how I performed with my last few fights. We are two great fighters that are ready to put on a great fight and steal the show on Saturday night.”
Russell: ‘Stay Tuned’
Like his brothers, Gary Antuanne Russell is a low-key personality not given to bragging or trash talk. “I can’t give y’all the juice, but I know what I’m capable of and I’m ready to take the shine off of the main event. Stay tuned,” said Russell.
Russell says Valenzuela doesn’t offer anything new. “Every opponent is different, and he forces you to use different tools. The main lesson I took from my last fight was that listening is important because you must be flexible and versatile. Lesson learned.
“I feel like Valenzuela is only trying to pump himself up. I don’t care what he says. Keep that same energy.”
Puello Takes On Martin
Alberto Puello says he loves to fight in New York with a big crowd including his Dominican fans, and it motivates him.
“I don’t care if I’m not talked about. People know who I am, and I’ll keep proving that I’m one of the best at 140,” promised Puello. “To be a world champion and to have been able to recover what was mine to begin with is a dream come true. Few people can accomplish that.
“If Martin wants to knock me out, then he is making a big mistake. I don’t think that he has the strength or the tools to KO me, and he knows it.”
Sandor Martin has a reputation as a fighter who makes his opponent look bad, and it has sometimes denied him a victory. As a result, he doesn’t plan to go to the scorecards on Saturday. “I’m going to come out there looking for the knockout, ready for some exchanges and a true war that sees the fans being the true winners of the night.
“The Teofimo (Lopez) fight didn’t really leave any lasting lessons for me. It just showed me that I shouldn’t leave the outcome of a decision in the judges’ hands. A lot of people saw me as the winner of that fight, but now New York provides me another opportunity to fight for a world title.”
Tellez vs Williams
Yoenis Tellez says he doesn’t feel any pressure against Julian Williams on Saturday, only that he’s been given a big opportunity he’s been waiting for.
“I think that Williams could be the toughest opponent of my career, wanting to recover what he lost. But here comes Yoenis Téllez, eager to take over the world.”
Former world champion Williams doesn’t intend to let it happen.
“The adrenaline is rushing, and the stakes are higher here. There is definitely a difference between fighting C+ and C- contenders and a world-class fighter like me. Winning would be a dream come true. Regaining everything I lost in 36 minutes. That’s the goal.”