Tank and Roach Exchange Verbal Barbs At Final Press Conference

Boxing superstar and reigning WBA Lightweight World Champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis and WBA Super Featherweight World Champion Lamont Roach went face to face at the final press conference on Thursday before they meet for Davis’ title this Saturday, March 1 headlining a PBC Pay-Per-View event on Prime Video from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

The press conference also featured fighters competing on the stacked pay-per-view undercard including WBA Super Lightweight World Champion José “Rayo” Valenzuela and hard-hitting top contender Gary Antuanne Russell, who duel in the co-main event, WBC Super Lightweight World Champion Alberto Puello and top-rated mandatory challenger Sandor Martín, who meet in a pay-per-view attraction and rising star Yoenis Téllez and former unified world champion Julian “J-Rock” Williams, who kick off the pay-per-view at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT in a battle for the Interim WBA Super Welterweight Title.

In addition to the PPV being available for purchase on Prime Video, regardless of Prime membership, fans will also be able to continue to access the telecast through traditional cable and satellite outlets as well as PPV.com.

Also featured at Thursday’s event were fighters competing in action streamed live on Prime Video preceding the pay-per-view at 6:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. PT that will be available via free access to all fans, regardless of Prime membership or purchase of the PPV card. In addition, fans can stream the action live on the Prime Video Twitch page at twitch.tv/primevideo. 

These fights will see former unified 154-pound world champion “Swift” Jarrett Hurd match up against hard-hitting Johan Gonzalez in a 10-round middleweight affair.

Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday from Barclays Center:

GERVONTA DAVIS

“It’s showtime now. All the talk and all the work I put in. Come Saturday night, it’ll be a great fight. Lamont is coming in with his best and I’m coming with my best. Right here is the top of the DMV area on the stage. Even on the undercard. Gary Russell… We got great talent fighting on the card Saturday night.

“I want to be here and give it my all. I’m grateful and happy to be part of this event and be at this level in my career. Thank you all for coming out and see you all Saturday night.

“Barclays Center is like my second home since I won my first title in 2017. This is a great atmosphere in Brooklyn. Come Saturday night you will see.

“I’ve known Barry since I was young. He’s been in that space that helped me better my game and also as a person. Being around him is great. It’s good to have two top trainers come together, Barry and Calvin and even Kenny too. Having them all under one roof is amazing. I have coaches and teachers and things like that, so I soak up knowledge from them.

“I’m going to do me regardless. I think about what I’ve been through and what I’ve lost and go in there and get my man. It’s going to get bad. He’s been talking too much too, so we’ll see Saturday night. You know what I come to do and why I’m here. I don’t want to say too much. I’ll keep it polite. I know there will be fireworks.”

LAMONT ROACH

“I don’t have much to say. I’m here to boogie. Saturday night will be a hell of night. I’m coming with my tool bag. I have everything in my tool bag and I got a big bag.

“Saturday night, it’s going down on one of the biggest stages of my life.

“Everybody says I’m just here to show up, but when I do show up, I show out. That belt coming out. Hopefully he is bringing his belt too. That belt coming out.

“Thanks to Tank. He’s the cash cow and head honcho. He gave me the opportunity. Let’s boogie.

“I don’t care about outside critics. I know what I can do in the ring and that’s the only thing that matters honestly, that I go out and give it my all. Nine times out of ten, when I do that, I’ll be victorious.

“I take Tanks’ compliments very well. It lets me know he’s 100% focused and will bring his A game. That’s what will make it a great fight.

“Obviously, he’s here for a reason. He does what he’s supposed to do with the guy in front him. He has good skill and power and a good boxing IQ. All of that together makes for a good championship fighter.

“It would mean everything to be a two-division champion. That’s what I set out to do.

“If this fight breaks the last record, it’s because he has a better dance partner. Come Saturday, you will see. My prediction is ‘AND THE NEW!’”

JOSE VALENZUELA

“I’m happy to be back. Saturday will be an action-packed fight. Gary is coming to fight and I’m coming to fight. We both are in our prime. This fight sells itself. His record speaks for itself. He’s a dangerous fighter. I believe I’m a dangerous fighter too. I’ve put in the work and did everything I have to do to come out victorious Saturday night.

“Winning the title has brought me more motivation and discipline. I think I‘ve matured a lot getting this belt. I’ve gone back and worked harder than ever to show I’m here to stay.  

“He’s a great fighter. He fights at his rhythm and he’s really good at what he does. Regardless of that, you know what I come to do. I come to fight. I’m explosive and I’ve got speed, and I’ve prepared for this fight and I’ll be ready on Saturday night.

“I believe I have a lot of different styles in me. I can fight inside or outside or in the midrange. This fight specifically, I’d like to do a little of both. Mix it up and fight on the inside, midrange and the outside, move forward. He comes forward, so why not give the fans an action-packed fight and steal the night?

“I’m here to stay baby. AND STILL!”

GARY ANTUANNE RUSSELL

“There’s a lot I could say but I’ll wrap it up quick. I’m a supporter and representative of DC for sure. Don’t ever get that twisted. I’m coming in here with a chip on my shoulder. I’m coming off a ‘L’ that I took more as a lesson not a loss. I shout out you all for keeping me uplifted when I needed to be. March 1 is right around the corner and we’re ready to get these fireworks popping. May be the best man win.

“He said I’m nothing special. I want him to keep that same energy on fight night.

“It’s a championship fight. That’s motivation enough. That should be something for both of us to make sure we’re on our A-game. I’m coming off a loss, so yeah, I got a chip on my shoulder that makes me want to be in the ring even more. I’m itching right now. I’ll be respectful, but this is definitely a sport that promotes violence. We’re supposed to be aggressive in this sport.

“May the best man win. I come to be in shape and be victorious. I‘m pretty sure he’s going to do the same. He got a game plan and I got a game plan as well. We’re going to keep it respectful, but in an interview he said I’m nothing special in what I got, and I took offense to that. That’s cool. That’s why I’m telling him to keep that same energy on fight night. It’s two days away. I’m itching. He’s itching. Let’s get it on.”

ALBERTO PUELLO

“I want to let you know that both me and my team are ready to give 100% out there. Our training camp has been amazing, and my job Saturday night will be to raise the Dominican flag high and represent my country with pride. That’s what I plan to do.

“The message? Simple. I’m among the best fighters in the 140-lb division. I’m going to defeat Sandor Martin and go after every champion in the division. Bring them on. Anybody, and I’m ready to face them.

“I’m not worried at all. In fact, I’m not surprised by what Sandor did because Mikey Garcia wasn’t really at his best when he fought Sandor and Teofimo Lopez is really nobody in the division. Right now, I’m focusing on myself and that’s what I need to do. I believe in what I do, and I’ll be ready on Saturday night.

“I’m ready for everything. It’s going to be a great fight. I’ve prepared so well. The fight can end any time. I’m looking to do so and I’ve prepared to do so.”

SANDOR MARTIN

“He is a good fighter, but I need to be confident in my skills and I need to be different in the ring than his other opponents.

“The last time I fought in New York, I only had three weeks to prepare for the fight. This time I have had more than six months. I’m here in the prime of my career.

“We have a very different idea of the result of the fight. I wish the best for them, and I hope they stay in good form because I’m in the best form of my life.”

YOENIS TELLEZ

“This is a combination of really hard work ethic, and a dream come true. I came to this country with only one objective in mind: to make Cuba proud and I feel like I’m doing that, right here in New York City.

“Yes, this will be my most difficult fight in my short pro career so far. Julian Williams is a skilled fighter who has a lot of experience, no doubt about that. But when I come into the ring on Saturday night, I will be hunting my prey. That’s what I plan to do. As far as a message for the division? A Cuban fighter is here to stay and is coming for all the titles.

“To be honest, if I fight Julian Williams on Saturday night, the way I think I can fight, it won’t be my hardest challenge. I’m not overlooking him, it’s just that in my mind, it’s not that way. I’m going to put my best foot forward out there Saturday night and that’s how it’s going to be.”

JULIAN WILLIAMS

“I think my skillset will be the X factor. I don’t rely on experience. Everybody has their own experiences. I’m relying on my mindset and skills and the work I did in the gym.

“I don’t care what he says. When the bell rings, we will see.”

JARRETT HURD

“I swear, I’m not the type of guy to make excuses. I just know who I am as a fighter… I know what it takes to be at the highest level, and I know if I can’t go out there and get past someone like him, I’m not naïve to the fact I’ll know what time it is.

“I will go out there and dominate him. If that’s toe-to-toe fireworks, if that’s moving around using my jab, it don’t matter. I don’t want to leave it in the judges’ hands, of course. I just feel like I want a clear win. I don’t want to have an iffy win or any questions. I want to have a great performance and a dominant win.

“I’m definitely going for a knockout. In my last fight against Rosario, I think left a little bit too much in the hands of the judges, so I’ll be leaving nothing to the judges and I’m trying to get the win by knockout.”

JOHAN GONZALEZ

“I am coming off a loss, but I do have a great opportunity in front of me right now. We’ve made adjustments and changes in training camp. You’ll get to see that on Saturday night. It’s going to be a different JG.

“I’m going out there to get the win. I want to make Venezuela and my hometown very happy on Saturday night. That’s the goal.”

For a closer look at Tank vs Roach, check out our fight night page.