Lamont Roach vs Feargal McCrory Preview
Irish boxing fans are dreaming of championship glory. Feargal McCrory faces the WBA Super Featherweight Champion Lamont Roach in Washington D.C. The fight will take place in the Entertainment and Sports Arena in Washington on June 29 at 4:00 am.
McCrory knows he’s stepping into enemy territory against a very dangerous boxer. Roach is a huge betting favourite to win this fight, but the Irishman is confident he can upset the odds. He believes in himself and wants to replicate the Celtic legends of old.
Most people think Roach will outwork his opponent before finishing him. However, McCrory has an excellent camp and believes in his abilities. Could an upset be on the cards in the U.S. capital?
Lamont Roach vs Feargal McCrory Key Stats and Head-to-Head
It’s been a long road to the top for McCrory. The Tyrone native holds a 16-0 record but rarely receives the same respect as other Irish fighters of his generation. However, now he finds himself within touching distance of a world title.
He’s fighting one of the U.S.’s most talented boxers in Roach. The American is 28 and holds a 26-1-1 record. His only defeat was back in 2019 against Jamel Herring. However, that was a long ago when he was still developing as a fighter. Now Roach is entering his prime, and most analysts expect him to win this fight.
Roach is coming off a marquee victory over Hector Luis Garcia. This was the second time that he fought for a title and he made it count. It was a very technical fight, as Roach showed his slick skills. There was very little to separate the two men until round 12. That’s when Roach scored a crucial knockdown and sent Garcia to the canvas for the second time in his career.
The new champion acknowledged he learnt from the pain of losing his first title shot. Curiously, each of Roach’s title fights, including his defence against McCrory, will be against a southpaw.
One of the most impressive aspects of this fight was how Roach finished strong. He won four of the last five rounds as he burst into life. This is extremely difficult for opponents to deal with because he builds up relentless pressure.
McCrory has a more impressive finishing percentage than Roach, albeit against arguably weaker opposition. He has a 50% KO record and knocked out three of his last four opponents. His most recent victory came over Carlos Carlson at Madison Square Garden. This was a dream come true for the Irishman as he won the WBA Continental Americas super featherweight title.
The Irish boxer stopped Carlson in the third round. He smashed the Mexican in the liver with a brilliant body punch and left him incapable of continuing. This was an impressive win over a grizzled veteran. Carlson has the experience of fighting for titles and is always a tough opponent. However, this fight against Roach is a massive step up.
McCrory has been working with the legendary Colin Morgan ahead of this bout. The Irishman credits Morgan with changing the way he looks at boxing. He says he is a different fighter now, making him even more dangerous. McCrory says that he wouldn’t be a contender now if it wasn’t for Morgan’s influence.
Roach is effectively fighting in front of his local fans. He hails from nearby Upper Marlboro in Maryland, so the champion will have tremendous support. Roach’s father and trainer Lamont Sr. is also promoting the event. However, Irish fans travel in numbers and there’s plenty of them on the East Coast. It will be fascinating to see if the venue motivates Roach or creates more pressure.
Meanwhile, McCrory knows the area reasonably well. He bases himself in New York and has developed his career in the U.S. This is his sixth consecutive bout in North America, so it won’t bother him. Fighting in D.C. is also a slight step down in prestige from the hallowed halls of MSG.
Ireland has a rich boxing history, but currently, there are no active male champions. McCrory has a unique opportunity to change this. He knows everybody is doubting him, but it’s up to him to stun the world.
Lamont Roach vs Feargal McCrory Predictions
We predict Lamont Roach will win this boxing match by a knockout. The Maryland native is a more gifted athlete and a superior technician. He has more fights against higher-level opponents, including Angel Rodriguez and Rene Alvarez.
Roach will probably start slowly and allow McCrory to come forward in the early rounds. He’ll make his readings and then explode into life. This fight could finish between rounds five and eight.
Roach already has world title fight experience. There’s a vast difference between fighting for a continental title and the real thing. McCrory knows he may never get another chance if he loses this match. This may cause him to be reckless in his pursuit of a KO.
The Irish fighter’s best chance of winning this fight is by knockout. We don’t expect him to outbox Roach because the American is slick. Fans witnessed Roach’s abilities in his technical victory over Hector Garcia. It will be difficult for McCrory to stand with Roach in the same way.
Feargal McCrory is YOUR WINNER!!!#HFNBoxing pic.twitter.com/UHZ6KaegeF
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) March 16, 2024
However, McCrory has a puncher’s chance because he has power and an excellent KO record. Also, it would be naïve to dismiss him with the brilliant Colin Morgan in his corner. The experienced coach may mastermind a stunning victory.
We expect Morgan to push his fighter to start fast to prevent Roach from settling. He will upset the American’s rhythm if he can land a couple of strong left-hands early. Betting on McCrory could be worth a punt as a shock may be on the cards.
McCrory has an unbeaten record but hasn’t fought the same standard of boxers. He will feel confident ahead of this bout because he doesn’t know how it feels to lose. That may help him perform beyond expectations.
Check the in-play betting odds during the fight. They will swing drastically if McCrory knocks Roach down in the first couple of rounds. Irish fans will pray for one of their own to snatch a world title.
Lamont Roach vs Feargal McCrory Betting Tips
Betting on boxing can be tricky in a fight like this one. Roach is a massive 1/20 favourite on our sports betting platform. We expect him to win, but it’s pointless to bet on him to win outright. Placing a wager on the favourite this Friday is not profitable because a successful €10 stake would only win 50c.
In fights like this, it’s worth examining prop bets and other markets. Betting on Roach to win by knockout is a sensible option because it is more profitable. Why not go further and choose the round you think he’ll win? Looking at the over/under odds, we expect him to claim victory between rounds five and eight.
However, McCrory has never suffered defeat in his career. The Irishman is tough and may hang with Roach for the entire match. That’s why it would also be smart to bet on Roach to win by a unanimous decision.
If you think McCrory will shock the world, why not place a wager on him to win at 8/1? This time, €10 would win €80. It’s not impossible because he has an exceptional work ethic and an elite coach in his corner. However, we don’t expect him to win by decision.
There is plenty of Irish combat sports interest this weekend, including Ian Garry vs MVP and Pierce O’Leary vs Darragh Foley. Consider using our welcome bonus on one of these fights. Create a new account and claim your bonus for any fight this weekend.
Lamont Roach vs Feargal McCrory Outcome
There’s a danger that Roach is looking past this fight already. He’s eyeing a potential match-up with the WBC super-featherweight champion O’Shaquie Foster. Roach wants to be a unified champion and believes this is the natural next step. The pair previously tried to make a fight but failed to agree terms.
A defeat for Roach would be a shocking outcome. His career could spiral because it would be a long way back for him into title contention. Meanwhile, victory for McCrory would change his life. He may also pursue the Foster unification bout, but we think it’s more likely he’d return to Ireland to defend the WBA title first.
McCrory has been away from Ireland for a long time. There’s nothing he’d love more than to go home to a hero’s welcome as a boxing champion. Defeat would send him back into obscurity, and at 31, that could be the end of his journey.
