Gervonta Davis’ immediate rematch with Lamont Roach has been pushed back at least another week or two, perhaps longer.
The Ring learned Sunday that representatives for Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions were working over the weekend to determine if the second 12-round, 135-pound championship bout between
Davis and
Roach could be scheduled for Aug. 23 or 30 in Las Vegas.
PBC intended to hold their WBA lightweight championship rematch Aug. 16 in Las Vegas, but fighting on that date became increasingly unlikely even before
Davis was arrested again Friday for allegedly assaulting his ex-girlfriend, the mother of two of his children, on June 15 in Doral, Florida.
The Ring has also learned Davis, 30, had stopped training in Miami for approximately three weeks prior to his arrest Friday. It isn’t clear how yet another legal issue could impact his availability to fight next month and beyond.
Roach (25-1-2, 10 KOs), of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, is obligated to an immediate rematch with Davis (30-0-1, 28 KOs) because the Baltimore native exercised that contractual right after they fought to a surprising majority draw March 1 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Davis was heavily favored to win.
If Davis is either unable or unwilling to commit to their rematch within a reasonable period of time, however, Roach’s representatives could begin exploring other options for the WBA super featherweight champion’s next fight.
Handlers for Davis, The Ring’s No. 1-ranked lightweight, and Roach, ranked No. 4 among The Ring’s junior lightweight contenders,
first talked about scheduling their rematch for June 21 in Las Vegas. Davis reportedly wanted more time to train, though, which was when the targeted date moved to Aug. 16, four weeks from this Saturday.
Keith Idec is a senior writer and columnist for The Ring. He can be reached on X @idecboxing