Lamont Roach doesn’t mind giving anyone their props, even an upcoming opponent.

Gervonta Davis receives his fair share of criticism. Some lambaste his resume. Others have heavily dismissed his skill set. Some have also downplayed his place in the sport. Roach though, doesn’t believe those critiques have any legs to stand on.

Roach grew up in somewhat the same vicinity as Davis. So he knows him better than most. Over the years, Roach (25-1-1, 10 KOs) has nodded his head in approval as Davis became a multi-divisional champion, a pound-for-pound star, and according to some, the face of boxing.

The latter is something that Roach has no problem admitting. But while Davis (30-0, 28 KOs) is enjoying his time at the very top, the current WBA super featherweight champion knows that all good things must come to an end.

“I’m a show y’all what it takes to be the new face of boxing come March 1st,” said Roach during an episode of Against All Odds: The Reapers Tale - episode 1

As Roach alludes to, both he and Davis will jump into the ring against one another on March 1st, in Brooklyn’s Barclay Center. Roach has competed in the lightweight division before, but he made his name one weight class below.

The five-pound difference, along with Davis’ penchant for putting his opponents in the hospital, has oddsmakers believing that Roach, essentially, has no chance. The doubters and naysayers, however, are a good thing to have.

Roach remembers when the sportsbooks pegged him as an underdog against Hector Luis Garcia. Yet, he proved them wrong. Against Davis, the 29-year-old knows what he’s up against.

The Baltimore native normally crushes his opponents and showed no mercy against Frank Martin recently, brutally stopping him in the eighth round this past June.

In order to avoid a similar fate, the work Roach puts in will have to be at an all time high.

“It’s work time.”