Gervonta Davis and Lamont Roach fought to a majority draw in their lightweight title bout at the Barclays Center in New York. The fight ended with controversy surrounding a potential uncalled knockdown in the ninth round.
In the pivotal ninth round, Davis voluntarily took a knee and retreated to his corner. Referee Steve Willis started to count but then stopped. The incident wasn't ruled as a knockdown. If it had been scored as a 10-8 round for Roach, it would have changed the outcome of the fight.
The judges' scorecards came back with one 115-113 for Davis and two 114-114 draws. This result left Davis' WBA lightweight title in limbo.
After the fight, the New York State Athletic Commission launched an investigation. They're reviewing the replay process for the knockdown controversy. This investigation could potentially lead to a change in the fight's result.
At the post-fight press conference, Davis took responsibility for his performance.
"I could've stopped him. It's me. Definitely my fault. It's all right. You live and you learn. That was on me for sure. Cause I ain't pick it up when I'm supposed to pick it up."
Davis also acknowledged he needs to improve, saying:
"I could've definitely did more. I've got to go to the gym and get back to the drawing board and train a little harder."
You can watch Davis' full post-fight comments in this video.
Oscar De La Hoya also weighed in on the fight, revealing how he scored the contest. However, the details of his scoring weren't provided in the available information.
The controversy and close nature of the fight will likely fuel discussions about a potential rematch between Davis and Roach. For now, fans and boxing officials alike will be waiting to see if the New York State Athletic Commission's investigation leads to any changes in the official result.
