On Saturday night, the boxing ring was set ablaze with controversy when Gervonta Davis managed to secure a draw against Lamont Roach.
Despite the even result, the fight almost took a dramatic turn—Davis faced the very real risk of disqualification based on one referee’s perspective.
A Baffling Ninth-Round Move
Things took an unexpected twist in the ninth round.
Without any obvious provocation, the WBA lightweight champion backed up and suddenly took a knee before heading over to his corner.
Later on, Davis explained that this peculiar move was simply his way of clearing out some grease from his eyes after a recent hair appointment.
The Controversial Call
While referee Steve Willis did not count Davis’s action as a knockdown, a seasoned official later confided to reporter Chris Mannix that if Davis’s corner had wiped his face during the bout, it might have led to a disqualification.
In fact, this referee—along with two other anonymous officials—believed that the knee should have been ruled as a knockdown, a call that would have gifted Roach a surprising win.
Explaining the Moment
After the fight, Davis revealed that he had rinsed his hair with water earlier on the evening, trying to prevent the issue from affecting his vision.
“I didn’t want to get caught with burning eyes,” he said, adding that he chose to take the knee rather than risk a knockout in that manner.
“I honestly didn’t know you could get disqualified for something like that. When [Willis] started counting, I was just thinking, ‘What the hell?’”
Although Willis initiated an eight-count during the moment, he ultimately decided against penalizing Davis.
When the champion tried to explain his reasoning, Willis responded, “I understand, but when you take a knee like that, it appears as if you’ve been knocked down.”
Post-Fight Reactions
The judges’ scorecards led to a majority draw, with two scoring the fight 114-114 and one giving Davis a slight edge at 115-113.
However, the decision did not sit well with fans and experts alike.
Online reactions were swift and critical, and two-division undisputed champion Terence Crawford voiced his displeasure on social media.
He tweeted that Roach should have been declared the winner, stating, “Roach won and that should’ve been called a knockdown. Let’s see what happens.”
Crawford further criticized the decision by adding, “They robbed that kid—it’s unbelievable. I’ve never seen someone take a knee and not have it count as a knockdown. Looks like they forgot the rules tonight.”
What’s on the Horizon?
With such a heated debate still simmering, the boxing community is left wondering what the next chapter holds.
Will there be a rematch or further scrutiny over the officiating decisions? Only time will tell as the story continues to unfold.