Let’s keep it simple and plain. I was ringside at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Saturday night and Lamont Roach was robbed. He was a better fighter than Gervonta Davis on Saturday night at the Barclays Center.
Unfortunately, the judges scored the fight a majority draw (115-113 for Davis and 114-114×2). None of those scores were accurate.
Roach outboxed, out-slugged and control the ring for nine of the 12 rounds. According to punch stats, he out-landed Davis in total punches and with jabs.
Davis’ signature power never wobbled Roach. On the other hand, Roach landed multiple shots that appeared to affect Davis.
Most egregiously, Davis appeared to take a body shot or experience some sort of discomfort that prompted him to take a knee and run to his corner. His trainer wiped his face and referee Steve Willis allowed Davis to return to the action without taking a point, starting a count or ruling a knockdown.
While Roach shouldn’t have needed it, because he simply was better of 12 rounds, but if Willis rules that a knockdown, as he should’ve, Roach wins the fight by majority decision.
After the fight, Davis blamed the intermission on grease from his hair flowing into his eyes. The crowd that began as a huge Tank group booed him loudly. Members of the boxing community weighed in on the odd occurrence and the decision overall.
There was talk of a rematch, which seems like it should be a given. However, rematches are better when they’re necessities because a fight was close but the right guy won.
They’re terrible when they come about because of a terrible decision, and that’s what we have here.
Will Davis perform better in the second fight? Will Roach turn it up and be even better? Those are the interesting questions that I wish were most prominent in my mind. Instead, I’m more left with a sting of having watched a man be robbed of a monumental victory.
Here is a look at all of the results from the card in Brooklyn.
Gervonta Davis Vs. Lamont Roach Card Results
- Gary Antuanne Russell def. Jose Valenzuela via unanimous decision (120-108, 119-109×2)
- Alberto Puello defeats Sandor Martin via split decision (115-113, 113-115, 116-112)
- Yoenis Tellez defeats Julian Williams via unanimous decision (118-110, 117-111, 119-109)
Davis Vs. Roach Fight Card: PBC Prime Card Results
- Johan Gonzalez defeats Jarrett Hurd via split decision (96-94, 94-96, 98-92)
- Hurd kept his word. He promised to retire if he couldn’t beat Gonzalez, and he did just that during his post-fight interview. The former world champion walks away at 34 with a 25-4-1 record.
- David Whitmire defeats Angel Munoz via unanimous decision (60-54×3)
- Deric Davis defeats Jamal Johnson via TKO (1:56 of Round 1)
