For many, last night’s fight was expected to be yet another easy WBA lightweight title defense for Gervonta Davis, but his challenger, Lamont Roach, had other plans. At the end of a fierce battle at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn under the Premier Boxing Champions banner, the judges rendered a draw verdict, allowing the heavy pre-fight favorite to retain his belt. However, the result was heavily influenced by a serious refereeing error, which made all the difference on the scorecards, recorded as follows: 114-114, 114-114, and 115-113 for Davis.
The fight opened at an extremely slow pace, with both boxers throwing very few punches in the first two rounds, cautiously studying each other. Surprisingly, it was Roach who held the center of the ring, while Davis moved around him, willingly adopting the role of a counterpuncher.
The world champion began to show his hand starting in the third round, finally standing his ground and landing some violent shots, primarily to the body. Roach, however, remained unfazed, absorbing his celebrated opponent’s bursts without retreating and continuing to follow his tactical plan.
Despite producing the cleaner and more effective work in the following rounds, Davis showed signs of frustration as he realized that his best punches—normally enough to unnerve and panic his opponents—were failing to shake the challenger’s composure and determination.
This frustration became evident when “Tank” turned to the referee to complain about a foul, momentarily losing focus and getting caught by Roach’s punches. Another telling moment came when Davis, during a clinch, threw a shoulder strike to his opponent’s chin, only to receive a heavy hook to the face after the referee’s break.
Despite these signs of tension, Davis reached the halfway point of the fight with a clear lead on the cards. The challenger, while comfortably handling exchanges in the center of the ring, was not producing enough offensively to impress the judges. However, this aspect of the fight changed dramatically from the seventh round onward.
Realizing that he could take Tank’s punches without suffering too much damage, Roach began letting his hands go with far greater frequency and intent than in the first half of the fight, and he soon reaped the rewards. His right hook proved particularly effective, as he was able to land it from close range by freeing his arm during clinches.
Davis seemed surprised and unsettled by his opponent’s sudden increase in intensity and struggled to find the right adjustments, culminating in a controversial action in the ninth round. Immediately after a Roach jab that barely grazed his right eye, the champion took a knee and then walked to his corner—without the referee’s permission—to have his face wiped.
This was an extremely unorthodox move that, according to the rules, should have resulted in a knockdown count: only the referee has the authority to stop the action, and a fighter who takes a knee—unless due to an illegal blow—must be given a count. However, referee Steve Willis decided to let it slide, denying Roach a crucial 10-8 round that would have been decisive on the scorecards.
In the final rounds, Davis was unable to regain control of the fight, which was now firmly in Roach’s hands. The champion was waiting too long between attacks, searching for the perfect opening for a knockout punch, while Roach’s relentless assault stood out in contrast to Davis’s sporadic and isolated efforts.
Despite the close nature of the fight, Tank failed to mount a meaningful final assault. Instead, in the twelfth round, he resorted to talking and taunting his opponent, while Roach responded with punches.
At the end of the bout, I personally scored it with a two-point advantage for Lamont Roach. The draw, as determined by two of the judges, is a somewhat acceptable result, though the lost knockdown call in the ninth round leaves a bitter taste and makes a rematch all the more desirable.
Roach has certainly earned the right to a second chance. Written off by many experts, the 29-year-old American proved himself to be a tough, determined, and high-caliber fighter. He may regret not increasing his work rate earlier and conceding too many rounds in the first half, but his performance was outstanding nonetheless.
Davis, on the other hand, was deeply disappointing. Confronted for the first time by an opponent unshaken by his power, he appeared to lack a backup plan and struggled to keep his composure. A career built around minimizing risk—avoiding certain fights and neutralizing opponents with clever rehydration clauses—left Tank unprepared when he truly needed to step up.
As incredible as it may seem, Gervonta Davis likely learned more in this fight, his 31st as a professional over a twelve-year career, than in all his previous 30 bouts combined. Now, all that remains is to hope for an immediate rematch to see whether the Baltimore champion can make the necessary adjustments to reaffirm his long-touted but yet-to-be-proven superstar status inside the ring.