It’s been five days since Gervonta Davis and Lamont Roach Jr. went toe-to-toe in their highly controversial Brooklyn clash. Yet, the dust hasn’t settled completely. The final verdict has left a lot of people scratching their heads, and the debate over what went right and what went wrong is still ongoing. By now, everyone must have heard of the voluntary knee that Tank took in the ninth round. Things got murky after referee Steve Willis failed to call it a knockdown. He initially started his 10-count, hit the brakes when he noticed Davis running to the corner to wipe grease from his hairdo.
Now, the boxing world is up in arms, with many questioning why the rules seemed to take a backseat when it came to the WBA Lightweight Champion. Enter the WBA president, who’s now in the hot seat. So, what did he say?
Was it a knockdown or a mistake from Gervonta Davis? WBA prez explains
Gilberto J. Mendoza Jr., the president of the WBA, recently reiterated his stance on the controversial moment during the fight between Gervonta Davis and Lamont Roach Jr. In a statement, the 54-year-old emphasized his belief, based on his over 30 years of experience in the boxing world. His X post read, “Let me repeat: I stand by what expressed last Sunday in @ringmagazine, based on my 30 years plus experience. Taking a knee without a punch shall be rule a knockdown.” On top of it, siding with Lamont Roach Jr., he felt that not calling it significantly “affected the result of the fight.”
Let me repeat: I standby what expressed last Sunday in @ringmagazine based on my 30 years plus experience. Taking a knee without a punch shall be rule a knockdown. It affected the result of the fight.
— Gilberto J Mendoza (@GilberticoWBA) March 5, 2025
He strongly argued that Roach should have been awarded the ninth round and that a point should have been taken away from Gervonta Davis for taking the knee. Had that been the case, Lamont Roach Jr. would have had a majority decision victory instead of the controversial draw that was ultimately the outcome. After all, fair play should be the name of the game.
It seems Lamont Roach is already taking matters into his own hands to have the original result overturned.
Lamont Roach Jr. takes the battle to NYSAC
Yesterday, The Ring Magazine shared that Lamont Roach Jr’s lawyer, Greg Smith, had sent a four-page letter to the NYSAC’s executive director, Matt Delaglio. They requested them to overturn the majority draw and declare Roach “the true winner of the bout.”
According to the letter, the controversy centered around Davis taking a knee in the 9th round after receiving a three-punch combo, one of which had hit him in the eye. Roach’s team believes that, as a result, this should have been ruled a knockdown. They also pointed out other officiating issues, including Davis’ actions after the knee. When Davis turned his back and walked to his corner, it seemed like he was quitting. His trainer, Calvin Ford, had climbed the steps with a towel to wipe Gervonta Davis’ face, which was a clear violation of the rules and could have resulted in a disqualification. Despite this, the judges scored the 9th round in favor of Tank, except for Judge Steve Weisfeld, who gave the round to Roach.
With the complaint officially raised, Roach’s team is now preparing to bolster their case, hoping that if the knockdown is recognized, Roach can be declared the new WBA lightweight champion, with Tank Davis suffering a loss on his record.
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