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Gervonta Davis

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With fresh revelations emerging, the Gervonta Davis–Lamont Roach Jr. fight seems to be unraveling like Pandora’s box.

Fans have already had plenty to digest. Tank’s controversial ninth-round knee, his bizarre explanation, referee Steve Willis’ questionable conduct, and the highly disputed match decision. As if that wasn’t enough, yet another controversy seems to have surfaced.

On March 1, Davis and Roach Jr. faced off at the Barclays Center. Looking back, this isn’t a fight Davis will take much pride in. With the New York State Athletic Commission backing the majority draw decision, the unresolved matter appears to be leading toward a rematch, tentatively set for June. But the drama is far from over. There’s a chance the latest issue may take fans back to the infamous ‘Bite Fight’ from ’97 when Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield fought a rematch.

Gervonta Davis Lamont Roach Jr

JUST IN: Gervonta Davis Has Now Changed His Mind On Lamont Roach Jr Rematch

Intrigue deepened when Lamont Roach Jr., while reviewing the fight, made a startling observation. In the particular footage, the two fighters are seen locked in a clinch. With his back against the ropes, Davis grabs Roach Jr.’s neck with his left hand. However, due to the way his glove was positioned, it’s difficult to tell what Davis is doing at that exact moment.

Roach Jr. remarked, “That’s when he tried to bite me.” He added further, “I ain’t even notice that until somebody said something.” To set the record straight, in the footage, Davis’ head movement does suggest a possible biting motion toward Roach Jr.’s ear. However, without clear evidence, it remains a claim from Roach rather than a certainty.

Perhaps it’s merely speculation Roach Jr. stumbled upon. The fight has already stirred enough controversy, and adding more fuel to the fire may not be necessary. Already there’s a buzz going around, whether Davis, as a superstar, received preferential treatment in the bout.

One of the biggest talking points remains the moment Davis took a voluntary knee in the ninth round. It was an unusual and shocking move. Then, instead of issuing the standard knockdown count, referee Steve Willis allowed him to recover unpunished. Post-fight, ‘Tank’ explained his actions, claiming that a hair product had dripped into his eyes, forcing him to seek quick assistance from his corner.

Even if true, such a situation should have warranted disciplinary action. Especially considering that at that moment, Roach Jr. appeared to be gaining the upper hand. Many believe that had the knockdown been officially recorded, Roach Jr. would have won the fight. Instead, the majority draw saved Davis from the embarrassment of a loss, and he retained his belts in the process.

Perhaps it’s time to put the controversies aside and let the rematch settle everything. Can Tank, often accused of avoiding top-tier opponents, prove himself against a formidable Lamont Roach Jr.? On the other hand, a victory for Roach Jr. wouldn’t just be a statement. It would fulfill his dream of becoming a two-division world champion.

Gervonta Davis made his intentions perfectly clear following his fight with Lamont Roach.

The two men met earlier this month at the Barclays Center in New York, with ‘Tank’ defending his WBA lightweight title in the contest against Roach who was stepping up from super-featherweight.

Many fans felt that Davis would win the fight comfortably, but Roach had other ideas, as he performed extremely well throughout the bout, leading to a controversial moment in the ninth round.

Gervonta Davis Has Now Changed His Mind On Lamont Roach Jr Rematch

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‘Tank’ voluntarily took a knee and retreated to his corner, and despite the referee initially beginning to count, he chose to stop and didn’t rule it as a knockdown.

The fight went the distance and ended in a majority decision draw after scorecards of 115-113 Davis and 114-114 twice, meaning a 10-8 round for Roach in the ninth would have been enough to see him win and become the new WBA lightweight champion.

In the immediate aftermath, Davis was asked in his post-fight press conference said a rematch against Roach would not be next.

“I’m not sure. I’m definitely not sure. It probably won’t be this year. It’s definitely the one I want next but it’s not going to be next.”

Davis has now seemingly changed his mind, posting on social media that he wants the second meeting with Roach immediately, possibly as early as May.

“And say no more. I’m pushing for the rematch

The rematch can be soon too…..like [the] end of May.”

It looks like ‘Tank’ is going to get his wish, after it was revealed that the rematch between the two fighters is reportedly a ‘done deal.’

The drama from Gervonta Davis vs Lamont Roach Jr continues to unfold.

‘Tank’ Davis retained his WBA Lightweight World Title after a majority draw with challenger Roach, who upset the betting odds by even making it the distance.

Roach exchanged with the hard hitter from Baltimore, even wobbling him, and many big names in the sport believe he did enough to win. That should have been the case had referee Steve Willis called a knockdown in the ninth round when Davis took a knee. He didn’t, however, despite starting a count on the night.

The WBA added to the drama by publishing an article on its website that stated, “from our perspective, Willis’ decision was not unreasonable or unjustifiable.” The piece also said that ‘skeptics’ were wrong to say Davis benefited from the referee’s actions and that “no knockdown should have been recorded.”

WBA Issues Statement To Lamont Roach After ‘Misleading’ Comments On Gervonta Davis Knee Incident

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The sanctioning body’s president, Gilberto Mendoza, has since had the article removed from the website, pointing out that it was the opinion of a ‘collaborator’ who has no committee influence.

Following that, he send a direct message to Roach via X, formerly Twitter.

“Champ, as president of the WBA I must apologise on the opinion of a collaborator of the website. We believed in you since day one, we knew you would had a marvellous performance and feel proud of you as champion.”

Mendoza was also keen to reach out to Lamont’s father, who serves as his manager and trainer.

 Champ, please extend this message to your dad: I apologise for the misleading opinion of a collaborator [on the] WBA website. We believed in you since day one, we knew it was going to be a great fight and feel proud of your marvelous performance.”

Finally, Mendoza provided an update on the push for an immediate rematch, something ‘Tank’ has said he is pushing for anyway.

“I have asked the WBA committee to follow up [Lamont Roach Jr’s] direct rematch case closely. However, we believe the parties as expressed in the post fight interview will amicably agree to run it again.”

More news is expected soon on the matter, with the New York State Athletic Commission now also involved in proceedings after failing to utilise an instant replay function on the night, something a spokesperson says was due to techincal issues.

The controversy from Gervonta Davis and Lamont Roach Jr’s draw in Brooklyn continues to unfold.

‘Tank’ Davis kept hold of his WBA Lightweight World Title with the scores of 115-113 in his favour and two cards of 114-114. Crucially, however, the champion took a knee in the ninth round which was not called a knockdown by referee Steve Willis.

Had it been dealt with as per the rulebook, and the same scores were recorded for every other round, Roach would have left the ring with a massive upset victory and the world title.

WBA Issues Statement After Reviewing The ‘Evidence’ Of Gervonta Davis Knee Against Lamont Roach

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His team have since been in touch with the New York State Athletic Commission to call for the result to be overturned to a win in his favour. The commission says a ‘technical issue’ prevented the use of replay so the referee’s decision was not reviewed on the night. A further verdict is expected.

The WBA on its official website took an opposing view, stating that ‘skeptics’ were wrong to say the call, or lack of, was unfair.

“From our perspective, Willis’ decision was not unreasonable or unjustifiable. He ruled in real-time that Davis had not been struck by a punch before going down, and therefore, no knockdown should be recorded.

“Judges, by regulation, must follow the referee’s rulings—they do not have the authority to override his decisions on knockdowns. Some skeptics have suggested that Willis’ call benefited Davis unfairly, but we do not subscribe to that notion.

“In our long experience judging fights, we see no evidence of favoritism—only a referee prioritizing the physical safety of a fighter who appeared compromised by an eye injury.”

In contrast, the President of the sanctioning body, Gilberto Mendoza, called the fight ‘very controversial.’

The injury in question, Davis has since explained, was due to grease from a recent hair appointment getting into his eye. He has also said he is pushing for an immediate rematch, which may be called regardless of his willingness.

The New York State Athletic Commission could overturn the Gervonta Davis vs. Lamont Roach fight result. 

Tank retained his WBA Lightweight Title with a controversial majority draw against Roach after the referee failed to call a knockdown in round nine. Davis took a knee in round nine and went to his corner to remove some grease from his face. The referee should have started counting but failed to do so, meaning Roach was prevented from getting a 10-8 round that would have been enough to see him win on two of the scorecards. That would have made him a two-weight world champion with Tank’s WBA belt.

The CompuBox numbers showed that Roach was the better fighter. He outlanded Davis with his jabs and punches landed, showing just how hard he had been done by. There are naturally calls for a rematch, as the WBA President Gilberto Mendoza has stated that this is the goal. Meanwhile, Davis has also hinted that a rematch could take place in May. The New York State Athletic Commission has now reacted. They stated that a technical error meant they were not able to see a replay of the event. This is why it was not dealt with immediately.

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“During the round in question, following the commission’s request for the replay video, there was a technical issue preventing the commission from receiving it within the allotted time for review. Therefore, the referee’s in-ring decision was relied upon and the fight continued.

“The commission is dedicated to preserving the integrity of combative sports. And, is committed to working with all promotions and production teams — on behalf of the athletes, officials, and fans — to ensure technical issues do not occur in the future that prevent the delivery of ringside instant replay feeds to the commission’s officials when needed,” NY Commission said 

But Roach could now get the win, giving Davis the first loss of his career. This naturally raises question marks over where Tank goes next. Before the Roach fight, Tank said he wanted to box three more times this year before walking away from the sport. However, a rematch with Roach means that he could very well extend his stay if he desires to secure the biggest fights on his way out of retirement. His team has also reportedly contacted Vasiliy Lomachenko over a unification.

“A member of Davis’ team inquired afterward with a Top Rank executive about the availability of Vasiliy Lomachenko as a potential opponent for Davis later this year,” Keith Idec

Loma is the IBF Lightweight Champion, having stopped George Kambosos Jr. in his last fight. The Ukrainian could very well end up retiring. But he may be tempted by a big payday against Davis before walking away from the sport. Davis’ brand will no doubt be damaged if he does have one loss in his career, no longer making him in the elite club of undefeated fighters. That leaves Davis with some thinking to do moving forward.

Gervonta Davis just got exposed—and after his performance against Lamont Roach Jr. tonight at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, it’s hard to argue otherwise.

But even before the main event began, another revelation left Davis visibly disappointed—a particular boxing stat that he couldn’t improve even during the fight.

As you may know by now, Tank Davis was barely able to defend his WBA lightweight strap after ‘The Reaper’ proved to be a bigger challenge than anyone thought. The bout ended with a majority decision draw, tarnishing Davis’ perfect boxing record. However, this could have been a loss for Davis if the rules were followed to a T.

Gervonta Davis Reveals The Reason He Took A Knee In Controversial Draw With Lamont  Roach - Seconds Out

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During the ninth round, Davis surprisingly took a knee, and it was waved off. Though he later revealed chemicals had dripped into his eye from his hair, if it was scored as a knockdown by the referee, which it should have, Roach would have won last night. Regardless, before the fight began, Davis appeared in an interview with PPV[dot]com.

During the interview, the reporter informed Davis that he had the highest knockout rate, 93%—one of the best in the sport. However, he also had the second-lowest punches per round at 32, just above Zhilei Zhang. Both shocked and disappointed, Davis said, “Me? For real?… If I’m only throwing 32 punches? … that’s not good.”

He even claimed, “As a fighter, I think I need to be throwing more punches.” However, he could not follow that up during the fight. According to CompuBox, Davis threw an average of 23.25 punches per round and landed 8.58 punches per round during the fight, even lower than his earlier average. Meanwhile, Roach outlanded Davis in most rounds and still was handed a draw.

Regardless, you’d expect Davis to be eager for a rematch after recording the first draw of his career—but is that really the case?

After the draw, Davis was adamant about having a rematch in Brooklyn, even stating as much during his in-ring interview. However, by the time he reached the post-fight press conference, something had changed. When asked whether the rematch would happen in 2025, Davis surprisingly claimed, “I’m not sure, bro.”

It can be assumed that Davis may want more time to train for the rematch, and he would like to fight next year. But that’s not the case. When pressed whether Lamont would be his next opponent, Davis stated, “It’s definitely the one I want next, but it’s not gonna be next.” It’s worth mentioning that Davis was supposed to call out Jake Paul following what he thought would be an easy win.

That said, it appears Gervonta Davis was relying too much on his explosive power to win the fight. Unfortunately for him, a former super featherweight was durable enough to weather the storm.

Gervonta “Tank” Davis (30-0, 28 KOs) will defend his WBA lightweight title against Lamont Roach (25-1-1, 10 KOs) on Saturday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

The two men have tons of familiarity dating back to their amateur days.

Many doubt that Roach can present Davis with a serious challenge, but the former is determined to convince the world that it won’t be as easy as everyone expects.

Here is the information for the main card, which you can order on Prime PPV or PPV.com.

  • Date: Saturday, March 1
  • Time: 8 p.m. ET
  • Stream: Prime PPV and PPV.com
  • Location: Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York

Davis-Roach is expected to begin their ring walks at 10pm ET.

Lamont Roach Vs Gervonta Davis

Gervonta Davis vs. Lamont Roach – Full Prime PPV Card

Let’s be honest—Roach is justifiably a huge underdog. He’s fought Davis twice in the amateurs and lost decisions in both fights. As a pro, he has never faced an opponent on Davis’ level.

Roach also hasn’t shown the kind of punching power that would convince fans he’ll be able to hurt the lightweight champion. If Roach is going to have success, he’ll need to establish his jab—which is easier said than done against a fighter like Davis, whose lack of height often works in his favor against taller opponents.

Roach also has to prove that he can take a shot without wilting, as most of Davis’ opponents have done in his 30 pro fights. Lastly, Roach has to frustrate Davis. Whether it’s through wrestling, roughhousing, or unpredictable movement, he’s got to bring some anxiety to Davis’ performance.

It may sound overly simplistic, but Davis needs to be himself. He’s as physically gifted as any fighter in the sport, and his fight IQ is exceptional.

Gervonta Davis vs. Lamont Roach fight card, start time, how to watch

He starts slow while getting an opponent’s timing, but once he has it, he’s on a seek-and-destroy mission. If there is anything he must be careful of in this fight, it’s falling into the trap of being too friendly and familiar with Roach.

The two men seemingly have a good relationship. Davis showed immense respect for Roach’s mother at the presser on Thursday.

If Davis stays focused on the task, he will have this finished by the sixth round.

Here is a look at the boxing schedule for 2025 following Tank vs. Roach.

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