Gervonta Davis reveals reason he took a knee in his controversial draw with Lamont Roach Jr - 'Just got my hair done'
By Leon Imber
Updated 02/03/2025 at 11:18 GMT
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Gervonta Davis and Lamont Roach Jr fought to a controversial draw in their WBA lightweight title meeting in New York on Saturday. The fight - scored 114-114 by two judges while a third judge scored it 115-113 - had its officiating pulled into question when Davis voluntarily took a knee in the ninth. The referee did not call it a knockdown, with Roach left questioning the decision.
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Gervonta Davis contended with a vociferous New York crowd as he explained the reason why he took a knee during his controversial draw with Lamont Roach Jr.
In a scrappy meeting between the two with the WBA lightweight title on the line, Davis voluntarily dropped to his knee in the ninth round, before seemingly having his face wiped by a member of his team in the corner.
The referee did not count it as a knockdown, and with the bout scored 114-114 by two judges, and 115-113 in Davis' favour by a third, Roach felt the call in the ninth round had a telling impact on the result.
"If you take a knee and the ref starts counting, it should be a knockdown," Roach said. "If that's a knockdown, I win the fight. I'm not banking on that knockdown to win. I just thought I pulled it out."
Speaking in the ring after the fight, Davis explained why he had to take a momentary time-out.
"I just got my hair done two days ago and she put grease in my hair," Davis said. "When I was sweating and things like that, it burned my eyes."
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The New York crowd were audibly unimpressed by Davis' explanation, to which he responded: "Damn, why y’all booing like I’m saying b*******? They love you and then they hate you."
Two of the judges called the ninth round 10-9 in favour of Davis, scores which likely would have been altered should the knockdown have been called.
Four-weight world champion Terence Crawford took to social media to express how he felt Roach was "robbed" of victory.
"Roach won and that should have been called a knockdown," Crawford said on X. "Let’s see what happens.
"They robbed that boy and it’s crazy.
"I never seen someone take a knee and they don’t count it as a knockdown. Must of forgot the rules for tonight.
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"Some of y'all need to watch Mayweather vs Hernandez and see Mayweather take a knee because he hurt his hand and it was called a knockdown and not from a punch either."
Davis, despite being heavy favourite going into the bout, made a slow start as his patient approach saw him given little opportunity to counter a solid-looking Roach.
But while Davis grew into the contest as it wore on - he landed some shots without ever truly hurting his opponent - Roach felt he had already done enough to secure the victory.
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Lamont Roach Jr. punches Gervonta Davis during their bout for Davis' WBA lightweight title at Barclays Center
Image credit: Getty Images
"I’m a little disappointed in the decision," Roach said. "I thought I pulled it out. That’s what two skilled fighters do, go in there and show off their craft. I definitely thought I won but we can run it back.
"Gervonta is a great fighter. I thank him for the opportunity to show all the people that were doubting me, all the fake boxing media and fans talking s***. That s*** got flipped upside down.
"Even though I didn’t win tonight, I thought I did, but it’s a win for me in my book, but we are not satisfied with that. We need a real W."
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