WBA super featherweight world champion and Washington, D.C.-native Lamont Roach held a media workout in his hometown Thursday before he battles boxing superstar Gervonta “Tank” Davis for Davis’ WBA Lightweight World Championship headlining a PBC Pay-Per-View event on Prime Video on Saturday, March 1 from Barclays Center in Brooklyn. (photo by Alex Redcross)

A reigning 130-pound world champion, Roach will move up to lightweight to challenge the undefeated Davis and reignite a regional D.C. vs. Baltimore rivalry that dates back to the pair’s multiple amateur clashes. Riding a six-fight winning streak, Roach has prepared alongside his father and trainer Lamont Roach Sr. heading into his biggest fight to date.

Here is what Roach had to say from NoXcuse Boxing Club:

“I feel great and I can’t wait. Moving up to 135 pounds makes everything super comfortable. There’s no stress on the weight cut and I won’t feel drained at all.

“Gervonta has definitely become a world class fighter since our amateur days. We were both good as kids, but we’ve both evolved a lot. I’m going to prove that I’ve evolved more.

“This is just who I am. I’m not coming in there with a ‘b-side’ mentality. That’s a lot of people’s first mistake against ‘Tank’ especially. They’ve already fallen short before the fight ever starts.

“There’s a lot of stuff that I know based off our familiarity with ‘Tank’ that we can use, and that I will use, to my advantage.

“The IQ and the skillset that I have, compared to everyone else that he’s fought, it’s just levels above. The tenacity that I’m gonna combine with it, is definitely something he’s not used to. I’m bringing the total package.

“The hard work I’ve put in shows that I deserve a fight like this. I’ve worked to become one of the best fighters in the world, if not the best fighter in my weight class. And now I have the chance to prove myself against a pound-for-pound talent.”