Gervonta “Tank” Davis experienced his first non-win outcome, a majority draw, against Lamont Roach Jr., in a fight marked by a contentious referee decision. While Roach delivered a performance strong enough to potentially secure a victory, the bout concluded without a clear winner.
The central point of contention arose in the ninth round. Davis intentionally took a knee, seemingly to request a pause to clear his eyes with a towel from his corner. The referee initiated a ten-count but then stopped it upon realizing Davis was dealing with an eye irritation, not a knockdown.
Legally, taking a knee should be considered a knockdown. The referee’s failure to score it as such is the key factor that changed the outcome from a possible Roach upset victory to a draw. Throughout the twelve rounds, Roach was arguably the more active and effective fighter, landing numerous punches.
The judges’ scorecards reflected the split opinions: one judge scored it 115-113 for Davis, while the other two scored it 114-114, resulting in a majority draw. Had the ninth-round incident been scored as a knockdown and point deduction for Davis, Roach would have likely won by split decision, instead of Davis remaining undefeated.
Davis explained his taking a knee by stating, “I just got my hair done two days ago, and she put grease in my hair. When you’re sweating, the grease runs into my face and burns my eyes.” He defended his action, questioning the crowd’s negative reaction and insisting on the truthfulness of his explanation.
Given the significant impact of this moment on the fight’s outcome, the crowd’s frustration was understandable. However, Davis immediately offered Roach a rematch, despite believing he should have won the fight.
“I think I won the last three rounds,” Davis stated. “I was landing clean shots. He kept pressing forward, so I fought cautiously to avoid mistakes. Honestly, I made it a competitive fight.”
“Lamont is a great fighter with skills. This was a learning experience. Respect to Lamont Roach Jr. and his team. I hope we can have a rematch, definitely. Let’s bring it back to New York. Hopefully, we can get a rematch. If not, I wish Lamont Roach Jr. and his team all the best.”
Roach, for his part, did not accuse Davis of dishonesty regarding the eye issue. However, he maintained that taking a knee and initiating a count should result in a knockdown. “He probably wasn’t lying about the grease in his eye,” Roach conceded. “But if you voluntarily take a knee and the ref counts, it should be a knockdown. If that’s a knockdown, I win. It is what it is. I wasn’t relying on that knockdown to win, but I thought I won the fight.”
While moral victories don’t officially count, Roach performed admirably against Davis over 12 rounds, exceeding expectations as the underdog. However, being commended for a strong showing but still ending in a majority draw is ultimately not satisfying for Roach.
“I’ve proven myself tonight,” Roach declared. “I’m a bit disappointed with the decision; I thought I won. I definitely thought I won, but in my book, it’s a win. But I’m not content with that. We need a real ‘W.’”
Despite the controversy surrounding the non-knockdown call, both Roach and Davis delivered an engaging fight, particularly in the latter half.
Known for starting slowly, Davis initially fought cautiously, while Roach also maintained a measured approach to avoid Davis’s powerful counterattacks. With Davis moving on the outside, Roach was slightly heavy on his lead foot, prompting warnings from his corner to avoid becoming a stationary target for a knockout puncher.
The fight remained somewhat low-action until the third round, making scoring difficult, although Davis was generally initiating the power punches. Exchanges became more heated, with Davis even engaging in trash talk with Roach during the fight.
By drawing Roach into a more aggressive stance, Davis began to land heavier punches, with several strong shots connecting to Roach’s chin. Davis’s fast left hand drew reactions from the New York crowd.
Just as Davis seemed to gain momentum, Roach stepped into close range and unleashed a series of punches, including a significant right hand that landed cleanly. Roach’s success grabbed Davis’s attention as both fighters began exchanging powerful blows.
As they entered the eighth round, Davis landed a powerful left punch to Roach’s head. However, instead of faltering, Roach responded with a right hook that briefly staggered Davis. It was a surprising moment as Roach continued to demonstrate his capability as a worthy opponent despite being the underdog.
The controversy erupted in the ninth round with the non-knockdown call. Regardless, Roach’s confidence grew as Davis began to throw caution to the wind with rapid combinations. Davis focused on body shots, while Roach countered with uppercuts as the fight became a close-quarters battle.
Roach remained resilient and consistently evaded many of Davis’s biggest punches. He also landed quick combinations that troubled Davis, preventing him from establishing a rhythm.
By the final bell, there was a palpable sense that Davis might have experienced his first defeat. Instead, Davis narrowly avoided loss with a majority draw, heavily influenced by the referee’s decision not to count the voluntary knee as a knockdown.
At the very least, Roach deserves a rematch. At best, he might consider filing a formal complaint with the boxing commission after a memorable night that arguably should have concluded with him being declared the winner.
