Gervonta Davis faced a tumultuous bout recently at Barclays Center, where he fought Lamont Roach for the WBA lightweight championship. Despite a packed audience rooting for him, Davis found himself under scrutiny after claiming that grease from a recent haircut had obstructed his vision, leading to an unexpected moment in the ninth round when he took a knee. Many in the crowd, as well as Roach, doubted the legitimacy of Davis’s excuse and felt that the circumstances warranted a knockdown ruling.
The fight concluded in a majority draw with one judge scoring it in favour of Davis (115-113) while the other two scored it even (114-114). Had the referee counted Davis’s knee as a knockdown, it could have resulted in a critical point deduction, significantly altering the outcome. Roach believed he had a strong case, arguing that the referee should have recognised the moment as a knockdown. “If he takes a knee and the ref starts counting, it should be a knockdown,” Roach asserted.
Mixed reactions came from the boxing community regarding the officiating, with multi-division champion Terence Crawford taking to social media to express his disbelief that such an incident was overlooked. Roach, who moved up in weight for this fight, performed remarkably well, landing more punches than Davis at times, which caught many off guard considering Davis was a heavy favourite at -1600.
Following the bout, Roach expressed disappointment and called for a rematch, feeling he deserved the win. “That’s what two skilled fighters do, go in there and show off their craft,” he noted, referring to the high calibre of both competitors and the competitive nature of the fight.
Davis himself acknowledged Roach’s skills and recognised that it was one of the tougher fights of his career, remarking on the lesson he learned from facing such a skilled opponent. Although the win eluded him, Davis remains unbeaten and took the crowd’s mixed emotions in stride, recognising the love-hate relationship he seems to have developed with fans. The event attracted a sold-out audience of 19,250, setting a new boxing attendance record at the venue, and was a significant night in Davis’s career despite the controversial circumstances.
With potential for a rematch, fans and commentators alike are eager to see how these fighters will face off again after such a closely contested match.