Gervonta Davis and Lamont Roach will square off for the first time as pros on Saturday night, however, it will be their third meeting overall.
The pair boxed each other twice as amateurs in 2011, back when they were both teenagers.
Davis won their inaugural encounter at the regional championships via split decision to deny Roach a place at the national championships in August.
However, USA Boxing gave Roach a free pass to the national finals upon reviewing the footage of their controversial first fight.
“My memories are close, competitive fights,” Roach told talkSPORT.com.
“One being so close that USA boxing sent me [to the nationals]. Usually, once you lose, you’re out.
“We fought in the same tournament, in the regionals of the tournament. And he beat me in the championship of the regionals.
“We sent the tape to USA Boxing. They sent me an at-large bid to the nationals.
“So we met up in the championship at the nationals as well. And he beat me in a close fight.”
Explaining why USA Boxing handed him an at-large bid, Roach added: “There was a point taken from me for something, I think it was wrestling.
“It was a very heated fight and there was a point taken away and it was unjust.
“There was a point taken from him but there was a point taken away from me as well and he won by split decision in Baltimore.”
YouTube – Nardo JohnsonDavis beat Roach in two close amateur fights in 2011[/caption]
Davis would go on to win their sequel on points in a barnburner at the Mobile Civic Center in Alabama, which has been uploaded to the internet in full.
12 years would pass until a fight between the pair was talked about again.
In 2023, Roach was approached about facing Davis in the paid ranks but ‘Tank’ opted to box Hector Luis Garcia instead.
“It didn’t happen because he ended up fighting Hector [Luis Garica],” Roach added.
“He was a world champion at the time and I was actually his mandatory so I was waiting on what they were doing.
“But I had got the call for that fight. [The conversations] were basically ‘Would you fight Gervonta at 135lbs for his championship?’
“And I was like ‘for sure’ but the talks never furthered, we got one call back and that was it.
“I was waiting to see if the WBA was going to put out a purse bid announcement for me and Hector but they ended up announcing Gervonta vs Hector so we had to wait.”
Davis blasted the Dominican away in January before Roach snatched his WBA super featherweight title away from him in November.
One year later, Roach and Davis were back in talks again to, this time, successfully strike a deal.
Roach was granted special permission by the WBA to move up and challenge Davis for his WBA lightweight title while also retaining his super featherweight strap.
The Washington technician opens up as a massive underdog, but he believes he has what it takes to upset the applecart.
“Mentally I have got a chip on my shoulder,” Roach continued. “It is just like the Hector fight, you have all got me messed up.
“Count me out if you want. You are all going to see…
“I see a victory. I see my life changing drastically.
“Hopefully when I beat him there will be some pound-for-pound talks.”
