NEW YORK – Assuming Gervonta Davis exercises his contractual right to an immediate rematch, rival Rolando “Rolly” Romero believes he will beat Lamont Roach in their second fight.

Romero, whom Davis knocked out in the sixth round of their own lightweight title fight in March 2022 at Barclays Center, isn’t sure who won their 12-round fight Saturday night for Davis’ WBA 135-pound championship. He respects Roach and commended his performance versus Davis, but Romero predicted Davis will learn from his mistakes made Saturday night at Barclays Center and apply the improvements made in the gym when he encounters Roach again.

Romero discussed Davis’ controversial draw with Roach and its aftermath with The Ring before a press conference to promote Romero’s fight against Ryan Garcia on May 2 in Times Square.

“I’d take Tank,” Romero said of a Davis-Roach rematch, “because I think Tank will make the necessary adjustments.”

The 30-year-old Davis didn’t make the necessary adjustments when a resilient Roach took his hardest punches, took their fight to the powerful southpaw and performed much better than the odds, 16-1 in Davis’ favor, suggested that he would in their Premier Boxing Champions/Prime Video pay-per-view main event. Davis defeated Roach by the score of 115-113 according to judge Eric Marlinski, but judges Glenn Feldman and Steve Weisfeld both scored their 12-round, 135-pound title fight a draw, 114-114 apiece.

Davis dubiously took a knee 43 seconds into the ninth round, just after Roach threw a jab at his head. Referee Steve Willis didn’t count it as a knockdown, nor did he take a point or admonish Davis, let alone disqualify him, for sticking his head through the ropes thereafter for trainer Calvin Ford to wipe grease, according to Davis, from his eyes.

Regardless, Roach (25-1-2, 10 KOs) fought at an elite level against an amateur rival that the Upper Marlboro, Maryland resident promised he would thoroughly test in a fight most boxing fans and pundits dismissed as an unnecessary mismatch.

“Lamont Roach took every person in the boxing world by surprise that day,” Romero said. “I think he even took himself by surprise. Well, I’m not gonna say that because he went in there very confident, very composed. He fought like a real professional. And it was a very close fight. That doesn’t take anything away from Tank, though. Tank is a three-division world champion, one of the greatest fighters of our generation. Lamont Roach had a really good day against him. I feel like that rematch needs to happen because there are some controversies behind it.

“The random knee – none of the punches hit him. And it wasn’t like an aggressive round up until that moment. So, it was just like out of nowhere, you know? So, there’s a lot of controversy. They didn’t count the knee [as a knockdown], but if they woulda counted it, Gervonta woulda lost. But like I said, Lamont Roach was very patient and took his time that fight and fought like a real professional.”

Romero (16-2, 13 KOs) and Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs, 1 NC), whom Davis knocked out in the seventh round in April 2023 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, will square off May 2 in the last of three fights presented by The Ring and “FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves.” Garcia, of Victorville, California, will end a 54-week layoff when he meets Romero, of North Las Vegas, Nevada.