Floyd “Money” Mayweather has caused quite a stir, and plenty of interest and debate amongst fight fans and boxing insiders, this by putting it out there that he wants to see his young prodigy Curmel Moton fight Lamont Roach Jr next. As fans know, Roach has seen his big rematch with Tank Davis fall apart, perhaps for good, as Tank has signed on for a big payday of an exhibition with Jake Paul.
There has been some talk that Roach could fight Shakur Stevenson next, but Mayweather wants to see Moton, at just 8-0 (6), challenge Roach for the WBA 130 pound belt Roach holds. Roach of course moved up to 135 in March, when he held Tank to a draw, this a decision that caused outrage; Tank even taking a knee during the fight but not receiving a count.
Mayweather’s Move: Public Pressure And Big Promises
Mayweather, via a post he put out on social media, has even offered to put up the money to make the Roach-Moton fight happen.
“Let’s make this fight happen!! Curmel Moton is already IN. Roach, let’s do it. Even if I have to put up the money,” Mayweather wrote.
Since Mayweather’s post, Roach has said that he would fight Moton if the WBA ordered the fight, that he would “spank that butt” if the fight was ordered, but he insists he has “bigger fish to fry.”
Moton and Roach have since gone back and forth on social media, giving the whole thing even more steam.
Is Moton Ready – And What’s In It For Roach?
So, could this fight actually happen this year? Again, with Roach not seeming to have a dance partner right now, and if Mayweather is serious about having his young, still-green fighter go right up there to world level after a mere two years in the pro game, with the 19 year old yet to go beyond the eighth round, then why not? We fans would for sure tune in to see what would happen.
Moton is an amazingly gifted fighter, and plenty of people agree with Mayweather when he says he will become a star of the sport and a world champion. But is Moton ready? What would Roach gain, aside perhaps from a nice payday, by taking on Moton now? If Roach, 25-1-1 (10), beat Moton, fans would say the teenager simply wasn’t ready yet. If he were to lose to Moton, Roach’s career would be in pretty bad shape.
Let’s see if this fight has any legs at all, or if Mayweather is merely drumming up some fine publicity for his young warrior.