By now, the boxing world is split right down the middle. You’re either calling out Gervonta Davis or simply stating the cold, hard facts after the chaos of March 1. When Gervonta Davis steamrolled Frank Martin with an eighth-round knockout last year, no one in their wildest dreams would have predicted that his next fight would see him taking a knee. Lamont Roach Jr., whom many dismissed as just another stepping stone, flipped the script and let his fists do the talking.
On fight night, Barclays Center in Brooklyn bore witness to something few expected. Lamont Roach Jr. went up a weight division and went toe-to-toe with Gervonta Davis. But when the dust settled, no one’s hand was raised. Imagine pushing a superstar to the brink, proving your worth in the ring, and still walking away empty-handed. Frustrating doesn’t even begin to describe it. But did he just sit back and accept it? Absolutely not. The moment the ref failed to start the 10-count after that pivotal round, Roach made sure his protests were heard loud and clear.
Did Steve Willis rob Lamont Roach after Gervonta Davis took a knee
A few days ago, Unbiasedbox2 shared a post on X. It featured an interview of WBA Super Featherweight Champion Lamont Roach Jr. on Nightcap alongside Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson. During the discussion about the controversial draw with Gervonta Davis, Roach was asked if the referee’s failure to call it out in Round 9 impacted his strategy for the later rounds. Without a second thought, he responded, “Imma say no.” Why?
He explained that Gervonta Davis taking a knee wasn’t a setback for him. It was actually a confidence boost. To Roach, it proved that his game plan was working and that Gervonta Davis was struggling. “The simple fact that he took a knee is it was really a boost because what we’re doing is working,” the Washington native revealed. The secret? It’s the fact that the two already collided twice back in their amateur days that gave him an edge there.
Lamont Roach says that the ref started counting when Gervonta Davis took the knee but then stopped counting out of no where pic.twitter.com/v3Wifo6aKp
— Unbiasedbox2 (@Unbiasedbox2) March 6, 2025
After landing a sharp three-punch combination—one of which connected cleanly with Gervonta Davis’ eye—Lamont Roach Jr. knew he had struck gold. That’s why he immediately turned to the referee, shouting, “Keep counting. He’s tripping. That’s a knockdown. ” Watching the 30-0 with 28 KO drop to a knee, the 25-1-2 boxer expected referee Steve Willis to follow protocol and begin the mandatory 10-count. Initially, Willis did start counting, but when he reached three, he inexplicably stopped, failing to rule it as a knockdown. And here lies the main reason for the match-turning draw. “Because if y’all didn’t notice, he started to count. And then he stopped. So when he resumed the action, I am like, ‘What are you doing? Keep counting,’” the 29-year-old frustratedly stated.
To make matters worse, the Baltimore native’s one of the coaches, Calvin Ford, climbed onto the ring mid-round to wipe his fighter’s face—another clear violation of the rules that could have led to Tank’s disqualification. Given Willis’ reputation as an experienced referee, such lapses were shocking in a championship bout. No wonder Roach and his team are up in arms over what they see as a glaring officiating blunder. However, Roach isn’t the only one pushing for a change. Ryan Garcia and Terence Crawford are on the same page.
Lamont Roach Jr. gets support from Garcia and Crawford!
In a tweet posted on Sunday, Ryan Garcia wrote, “What I’m wondering is if the commission only makes changes when you complain and cry like Haney or they actually care about the integrity of the sport! Nothing against Tank, but since the commission switches my victory, they should switch this victory for Roach. They won’t, tho, bc they were out to get me from the beginning.”
Then, there was Terence Crawford, who wrote on X: “Roach won, and that should have been called a knockdown. Let’s see what happens.” Just a few minutes later, the boxer posted another tweet, which read: “I never seen someone take a knee and they don’t count it as a knock down. Must have forgotten the rules for tonight.”
Regardless, 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.
So, do you think Steve Willis made a mistake? And most importantly, who do you think will have the upper hand if Gervonta Davis fights Lamont Roach Jr. again? Let us know your thoughts below.
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