Five days have passed since Gervonta Davis and Lamont Roach Jr. squared off in their highly controversial showdown in Brooklyn, yet the controversy surrounding the fight has not faded. The final verdict has left many fans, analysts, and experts divided, and the ongoing debate continues to spark conversations across the boxing world.
One of the most talked-about moments came in the ninth round when Gervonta Davis voluntarily took a knee — a move that instantly caused confusion. Referee Steve Willis initially began a 10-count, but abruptly stopped when Davis ran to his corner to wipe grease from his hair. This unusual sequence left fans and commentators wondering why such a moment wasn’t handled according to standard rules.
Let me repeat: I standby what expressed last Sunday in @ringmagazine based on my 30 years plus experience. Taking a knee without a punch shall be rule a knockdown. It affected the result of the fight.
— Gilberto J Mendoza (@GilberticoWBA) March 5, 2025
Since then, criticism has poured in, with many questioning whether the rules were overlooked in favor of protecting Davis, the reigning WBA Lightweight Champion. Now, the focus has shifted to the president of the WBA, who has come forward to clarify the organization’s position on the incident.
The WBA president recently addressed the situation directly, reaffirming his stance on the ninth-round controversy. Drawing from over three decades of experience in boxing, he stated that a fighter taking a knee without being hit by a punch should always be considered a knockdown. He explained that the failure to officially recognize Davis’ knee as a knockdown played a key role in determining the fight’s final outcome.
In his statement, the WBA president went even further, aligning himself with Lamont Roach Jr.’s position. He expressed the view that not ruling the moment as a knockdown directly impacted Roach’s chances, and ultimately, the final result. According to the president, if the knee had been properly scored, Roach would have been awarded the ninth round, and Davis would have had a point deducted. This would have altered the scorecards, likely giving Roach a majority decision victory instead of the controversial draw that was officially recorded.
In the wake of the controversy, Lamont Roach Jr. has taken action to challenge the fight’s outcome. His legal team has officially reached out to the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC), seeking to have the decision reviewed and overturned.
The formal complaint, which was submitted by Roach’s lawyer, highlighted multiple issues with the officiating in the ninth round. According to the complaint, Davis went to his knee after being hit by a three-punch combination, with one of the punches landing directly on his eye. Roach’s team argued that this sequence clearly justified a knockdown ruling.
The complaint also pointed out that Davis’ actions following the knee raised further questions. By turning his back and walking to his corner, Davis gave the impression that he was either quitting the fight or violating the rules. Compounding the situation, Davis’ trainer, Calvin Ford, entered the ring apron and used a towel to wipe Davis’ face — another clear rule violation. Under normal circumstances, such interference could have resulted in Davis’ disqualification.
Despite all these irregularities, the judges, with the exception of Steve Weisfeld, scored the controversial ninth round in Davis’ favor. Weisfeld was the only judge to award the round to Roach.
With the formal complaint now on record, Roach and his team are preparing to present additional evidence in the hopes of having the official result changed. If successful, Roach could be declared the new WBA Lightweight Champion, and Gervonta Davis would suffer a rare blemish on his record — a loss resulting from the recognition of the disputed knockdown.
The debate remains active, with boxing fans, analysts, and insiders continuing to weigh in on whether the referee’s handling of the ninth-round incident was justified or whether Davis was given unfair preferential treatment. As the NYSAC considers Roach’s request, the controversy surrounding this bout is far from over.