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Gervonta "Tank" Davis' notorious habit of slow starts nearly cost him his WBA lightweight title on a dramatic night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. In a fight where Davis was heavily favored to secure a decisive victory, Lamont Roach Jr. defied expectations, battling the champion to a majority draw. Two judges scored the bout 114-114, while the third narrowly had it in favor of Davis at 115-113.
Despite Davis' reputation as a knockout artist, Roach absorbed his best shots and fired back precisely, stunning both the defending champion and the crowd. The challenger refused to be intimidated, pressing the action early and capitalizing on Davis' slow start. Through the first half of the fight, Roach controlled the tempo, avoiding Davis’ explosive power while landing counters of his own.
As the bout entered the middle rounds, Davis began to find his rhythm, letting his hands go with more intent. However, Roach remained composed, countering effectively and holding his ground against the champion’s growing aggression. The fight took a bizarre turn in the ninth round when Davis inexplicably took a knee, prompting confusion among the audience and officials. Referee Steve Wilkes chose not to rule it a knockdown, as Davis claimed he had something in his eye. The moment could have swung the fight in Roach’s favor, but with no official knockdown scored, the battle continued.
Sensing urgency, Davis pushed for a knockout in the championship rounds, but Roach remained resilient, landing key shots to the body and countering Davis’ aggression. When the final bell rang, neither fighter was satisfied with the outcome. Davis met with boos from the Brooklyn crowd and defended his performance. He also called for a rematch in New York to settle the score.
Meanwhile, Roach expressed his frustration, believing he had done enough to win and insisting he should have been awarded a knockdown. However, instead of dwelling on the controversy, he remained composed and issued a challenge of his own, demanding a rematch.
With unfinished business between the two, a rematch seems inevitable as Davis and Roach look to settle their score in the ring once and for all.