It’s not every day that a boxer manages to evade a referee’s count by claiming a slip, but what transpired in the ninth round of the Gervonta Davis vs. Lamont Roach fight last night was nothing short of astounding. Davis, also known as ‘Tank,’ dropped to one knee after taking several shots, and yet, the referee failed to acknowledge it as a knockdown. This move was clearly a tactical decision to halt the fight, and Roach, adhering to the norms of the sport, ceased his attack.
When the referee, Steve Willis, a seasoned veteran with years of experience in world title bouts, approached the WBA lightweight champion, Davis was already back in his corner, where his team was busy wiping his face with a towel. Willis chose not to consider this incident a knockdown, thereby forgoing the obligatory count. However, stopping the fight of one’s own accord is against the rules, and Davis could have faced disqualification. The alternative, of course, would have been to declare it a knockdown.
What makes this even more perplexing is the fight’s outcome – a majority draw. One judge scored the fight 115-113 in favor of Davis, while the other two judges scored it 114-114, resulting in a tie. Had the knockdown been counted, Davis would have lost his undefeated record and the world title to Roach. It’s a scenario that has left many in the boxing world questioning the referee’s decision.
Davis explained to Willis at the time, and later reiterated, that he was temporarily blinded by hair grease that had gotten into his eye, causing a burning sensation. “Why are they booing me? I’m telling the truth,” he said. Roach seemed to accept this explanation, which apparently had to do with his hairstyle and the products his barber had used, but he also emphasized the importance of adhering to the rules.
The incident has sparked widespread debate, with none other than Terence Crawford taking to social media to express his astonishment. “I’ve never seen someone take a knee and not have it counted as a knockdown,” he said. “They must have forgotten the rules tonight.” As a two-division champion, Crawford’s opinion carries significant weight, and his comments have added fuel to the fire, leaving many to wonder what might have been if the referee had counted the knockdown.
In the world of boxing, where every punch, every move, and every decision can be a game-changer, it’s incidents like these that remind us of the human element involved. While Davis may have escaped with his title intact, the question on everyone’s mind is – what if? What if the referee had counted the knockdown? How would the fight have unfolded? These are questions that will continue to be debated, and as the boxing world moves on to the next big fight, one thing is certain – this incident will not be forgotten anytime soon.
Some of the key points to consider in this controversy include:
- The referee’s decision not to count the knockdown has been widely criticized, with many feeling that it went against the rules.
- Davis’s explanation for taking a knee has been met with skepticism by some, who believe it was a tactical move to avoid further punishment.
- The outcome of the fight, a majority draw, has added to the controversy, with some feeling that Roach was robbed of a victory.
- The incident has sparked a wider debate about the rules of boxing and the role of referees in enforcing them.
As the dust settles on this controversy, one thing is clear – the world of boxing will be watching with bated breath to see how this incident affects the sport moving forward.
