Gervonta Davis dodged the proverbial bullet Saturday night against Lamont Roach Jr.
Roach gave the WBA lightweight champion Davis everything he could handle during his division debut, and in the ninth round, the clash came to a controversial halt when Davis took a knee immediately after absorbing a jab only to then go to his corner and get his face toweled off.
Referee Steve Willis let the sequence slide by and did not rule it a knockdown. The fight went on and ultimately was scored a majority draw.
Two judges scored the ninth round 10-9 in favor of Davis. If Willis properly called Davis’ blunder a knockdown, Roach would have walked away with an upset decision win at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
On Sunday, Davis took to social media to further clear the air.
“They took the fight from me and made it a draw because I did that bullsh!t knee,” said Davis. “But I landed the most punches in the fight. He didn’t even hit me with a punch when I took the knee. I get it though. I shouldn’t have done that but that hair grease was burning my eyes.”
Roach outlanded Davis 112 to 103 in the fight, according to CompuBox.
International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee Randy Gordon, formerly the head of the New York State Athletic Commission, also offered explanation into how Willis should have handled the situation.
“Tank went down on his own. It's still a knockdown,” Gordon explained on social media. “Then, his corner jumped up on the ring apron. The fighter gets disqualified. Where's the problem? And the judges scored it a draw? Poor Lamont Roach got one of the worst shafting in boxing history last night. I hope Roach appeals. He has a very good case.”
Manouk Akopyan is a lead writer for Ring Magazine. He can be reached on X and Instagram @ManoukAkopyan.