In a heated battle that resulted in a draw, undefeated WBA light-weight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis managed to carry onto his title by the slimmest of margins in opposition to fellow American Lamont Roach this previous Saturday on the Barclays Middle in Brooklyn, the place over 19,000 struggle followers packed the sector.
The bout delivered nonstop motion from the opening bell, with a pivotal ninth spherical that would have shifted the end result in favor of the challenger. Roach absorbed Davis’ trademark energy photographs with out taking a step again—a uncommon feat in opposition to a person who had demolished 28 of his 30 earlier opponents. Davis, a multi-division world champion at tremendous featherweight (WBA, IBF) and tremendous light-weight (WBA), discovered himself in one of many hardest battles of his profession.
This was Davis’ sixth title protection. Roach, who entered the ring with a 25-1-2 file (10 KOs), was looking for revenge for 2 beginner losses to Davis and hoped to dethrone the Baltimore star.
Davis has held the WBA light-weight belt since December 28, 2019, when he knocked out Cuban veteran Yuriorkis Gamboa in 12 rounds. He efficiently defended it in opposition to Leo Santa Cruz (Oct. 31, 2020), Isaac Cruz (Dec. 5, 2021), Rolando Romero (Might 28, 2022), Héctor García (Jan. 7, 2023), and Frank Martin (June 10, 2024). Except Cruz, Davis stopped each a kind of challengers inside the space.
THE CRUCIAL MOMENT
After relentless exchanges and a conflict of attrition, Davis—identified for his devastating left hand, significantly within the type of hooks—was desperately seeking to put an finish to Roach’s resistance. However the challenger refused to again down, countering successfully and standing his floor. Then got here the ninth spherical, a second that would have altered the official scorecards.
Two minutes into the spherical, after a fierce trade, Davis all of a sudden took a step again, coated his eye together with his glove, dropped to at least one knee, and retreated to a impartial nook. To many observers, this was a transparent knockdown. Nonetheless, referee Steve Willis didn’t rule it as such. As a substitute, he approached Davis, spoke to him briefly, and allowed the struggle to proceed.
Had Willis issued the necessary eight-count, Roach would have received the spherical 10-8. That swing might have modified the ultimate scores on two of the three judges’ playing cards, leading to a Roach victory by way of majority choice (115-113, 115-113, 114-114).
Decide Glenn Feldman scored the struggle even at 114-114, awarding Davis rounds 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, and 11. Steve Winfeld additionally had it 114-114, giving Davis rounds 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and eight. In the meantime, Eric Herlinski leaned towards Davis, scoring it 115-113 in his favor.
From our perspective, Willis’ choice was not unreasonable or unjustifiable. He dominated in real-time that Davis had not been struck by a punch earlier than taking place, and due to this fact, no knockdown must be recorded. Judges, by regulation, should comply with the referee’s rulings—they don’t have the authority to override his choices on knockdowns.
Some skeptics have advised that Willis’ name benefited Davis unfairly, however we don’t subscribe to that notion. In our lengthy expertise judging fights, we see no proof of favoritism—solely a referee prioritizing the bodily security of a fighter who appeared compromised by an eye fixed damage.
THE NEXT STEP: A REMATCH?
One factor is obvious: the boxing world is already clamoring for Gervonta Davis vs. Lamont Roach II. The controversy, the drama, and the excessive stakes demand a sequel. Now, it’s as much as the promoters to make it occur.
