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In a heated battle that ended in a draw, undefeated WBA lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis managed to hold onto his title by the slimmest of margins against fellow American Lamont Roach this past Saturday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, where over 19,000 fight fans packed the arena.
The bout delivered nonstop action from the opening bell, with a pivotal ninth round that could have shifted the outcome in favor of the challenger. Roach absorbed Davis’ trademark power shots without taking a step back—a rare feat against a man who had demolished 28 of his 30 previous opponents. Davis, a multi-division world champion at super featherweight (WBA, IBF) and super lightweight (WBA), found himself in one of the toughest battles of his career.
This was Davis’ sixth title defense. Roach, who entered the ring with a 25-1-2 record (10 KOs), was seeking revenge for two amateur losses to Davis and hoped to dethrone the Baltimore star.
Davis has held the WBA lightweight belt since December 28, 2019, when he knocked out Cuban veteran Yuriorkis Gamboa in 12 rounds. He successfully defended it against Leo Santa Cruz (Oct. 31, 2020), Isaac Cruz (Dec. 5, 2021), Rolando Romero (May 28, 2022), Héctor García (Jan. 7, 2023), and Frank Martin (June 10, 2024). With the exception of Cruz, Davis stopped every one of those challengers inside the distance.
THE CRUCIAL MOMENT
After relentless exchanges and a war of attrition, Davis—known for his devastating left hand, particularly in the form of hooks—was desperately looking to put an end to Roach’s resistance. But the challenger refused to back down, countering effectively and standing his ground. Then came the ninth round, a moment that could have altered the official scorecards.
Two minutes into the round, after a fierce exchange, Davis suddenly took a step back, covered his eye with his glove, dropped to one knee, and retreated to a neutral corner. To many observers, this was a clear knockdown. However, referee Steve Willis did not rule it as such. Instead, he approached Davis, spoke to him briefly, and allowed the fight to continue.
Had Willis issued the mandatory eight-count, Roach would have won the round 10-8. That swing could have changed the final scores on two of the three judges’ cards, resulting in a Roach victory via majority decision (115-113, 115-113, 114-114).
Judge Glenn Feldman scored the fight even at 114-114, awarding Davis rounds 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, and 11. Steve Winfeld also had it 114-114, giving Davis rounds 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8. Meanwhile, Eric Herlinski leaned toward Davis, scoring it 115-113 in his favor.
From our perspective, Willis’ decision was not unreasonable or unjustifiable. He ruled in real-time that Davis had not been struck by a punch before going down, and therefore, no knockdown should be recorded. Judges, by regulation, must follow the referee’s rulings—they do not have the authority to override his decisions on knockdowns.
Some skeptics have suggested that Willis’ call benefited Davis unfairly, but we do not subscribe to that notion. In our long experience judging fights, we see no evidence of favoritism—only a referee prioritizing the physical safety of a fighter who appeared compromised by an eye injury.
THE NEXT STEP: A REMATCH?
One thing is clear: the boxing world is already clamoring for Gervonta Davis vs. Lamont Roach II. The controversy, the drama, and the high stakes demand a sequel. Now, it’s up to the promoters to make it happen.
