Lamont Roach Jr. is hoping his fight against Feargal McCrory on Friday will help shine a spotlight on fighters with similar roots to his own.
They will meet at the Entertainment & Sports Center in Washington, DC, with Roach defending his WBA super featherweight title against his 31-year-old rival, and he will go into the bout knowing that by that time, three fighters close to him will have already fought and appeared on Pro Box TV.
His younger brother Jordan will make his professional debut against Luis Domingo Hernandez Cambero.
Benjamin Johnson, also a Washington DC native like Roach Jr., will be making his pro debut against Michael Williams.
Similarly, Liana Rios, who like Roach Jr. lives in Upper Marlboro, is scheduled to fight Mary Romero in her eighth pro fight.
“This is going to be huge,” the 28-year-old champion said on Probox TV's “Deep Waters.” “Plus, it gives me a platform. It gives my brother a platform to make his pro debut in his hometown. It gives a platform to Benjamin Johnson, who I consider a brother, in his hometown. These two have been the No. 1 amateur male boxers for the last three or four years, maybe even longer than that.”
“Not only that, my father [Lamont Roach Sr] I'm training Liana Rios, who will open the main card. It'll be her first regional title fight. I'm really looking forward to it. I can't wait for everyone to see what she can do. I'm excited about it all.
“I'm very excited and very grateful for my partnership with Probox. They've given me the platform to do what I've set out to do and I'm so grateful for the promise they've made to my fans, family and friends that I'm going to bring a championship fight back to my hometown of Washington, D.C. I intend to seize this moment.”
