During the ninth round, Davis voluntarily took a knee after Roach landed a blow around his eye. The referee, Steve Willis, didn't intervene or count it as a knockdown. This decision left many in the boxing world questioning the outcome.
Oscar De La Hoya, the 52-year-old former six-division world champion and current boxing promoter, shared his thoughts on the fight. In an interview with Colm McGuigan for iFL TV, De La Hoya expressed surprise at the referee's actions.
"You know who the commission or the referee is. In fact, I was surprised that the referee allowed that to happen. Because that referee is a professional referee and has experience."
De La Hoya's company, Golden Boy Promotion, has worked with Steve Willis before. The promoter's familiarity with Willis's experience made the referee's decision even more perplexing to him.
The boxing community felt the incident should have resulted in penalties for Davis. Many believed it should have counted as a knockdown, cost Davis a point, or given the round to Roach.
Despite the controversy, De La Hoya praised both fighters' performances. He called Davis a "fantastic fighter" but noted that Roach managed to put him in trouble. The promoter seemed particularly impressed with Roach's showing against the champion.
The majority draw result has left the door open for further discussions about the fight's outcome and potential rematch scenarios. For now, Davis retains his lightweight title, but the boxing world will undoubtedly continue to debate the ninth-round incident and its impact on the fight's result.