Lamont Roach Jr. has opened up about the New York State Athletic Commission's controversial ruling in his recent fight against Gervonta Davis. The match, which took place on March 1, 2025, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, ended in a draw, but not without raising eyebrows.
The WBA lightweight title bout was neck and neck until the ninth round. That's when things got interesting. Davis went down on one knee, but the referee didn't count it as a knockdown. The match was declared a draw, leaving Roach Jr. feeling cheated out of a potential victory.
In a recent chat with former world champion Andre Ward on the 'All The Smoke Fight' podcast, Roach Jr. shared some surprising details about what happened after the fight.
"They told me, 'Yes, we screwed up. But someone has to take the blame... it wasn't going to be him [Gervonta Davis].'
Roach Jr. explained that the NYSAC admitted they made a mistake but weren't willing to change the result.
"Okay, we missed this... But they just say, 'Okay, but we're not going to overturn it'.
The Washington native felt particularly frustrated by the commission's response to his complaints.
"We're going to apologize and give you your flowers. But you're not going to get what you want."
Roach Jr. also pointed out that the referee, presumed to be Steve Willis, hasn't made any statement about the incident. "That was from him, how sad," Roach Jr. commented.
While the controversy continues to simmer, there's talk of a potential rematch between Roach Jr. and 'Tank' Davis. Rumors suggest it could happen in June in Las Vegas, but nothing's set in stone yet.
The boxing world will keep a close eye on how this situation unfolds. Will Roach Jr. get another shot at Davis' WBA lightweight title? Only time will tell.
