What’s Next for Gervonta Davis Following Controversial Draw?
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One of boxing’s main attractions stepped into the ring last night. WBA World Lightweight Champion, Gervonta Davis (30-0-1), put his belt on the line against WBA Junior Lightweight Champion, Lamont Roach Jr. (25-1-1) inside Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Davis came into this fight as a massive betting favorite. However, his adversary, Lamont Roach Jr., stole the show.
The Underdog That Rose To The Occasion
There had been a lot of naysayers disparaging the legitimacy of this title defense for Davis. That said, after the competitive and action-packed twelve rounds, fans, and pundits were treated to a spectacular display. The public opinion on the fight massively shifted.
This title fight was a back-and-forth battle throughout. Both men took turns pressuring. They put together combinations and landed punches in the clinch.
Roach opened the fight strongly as he had a higher output than Davis. The power-punching southpaw promptly responded to Roach’s early success with several successful rounds. According to two of the three judges’ scorecards, Davis won five straight rounds. The champion found his success as he turned up his punch output and started digging into Roach’s body.
Davis’s success lasted until the seventh round, when the challenger displayed superb defense and pinpoint counterpunching. The champion seemed to be getting caught while watching his work.
The Controversy
The fight’s most controversial moment unfolded in the first minute of the ninth round. Davis took a knee after a snapping jab from Roach. To everyone’s surprise, the referee did not start a count. Davis was allowed to lean over the ropes in his corner and had his face wiped clean. The rules state that taking a knee prompts an eight-count. If the referee had ruled a knockdown, Roach would have edged out a majority decision. This would have been reflected on the judges’ scorecards.
Roach went on to outwork the champion over the final five rounds. He aimed to disrupt the spurts that Davis used to fight. Davis and Roach closed the final two championship rounds of the fight. They engaged in a phone-booth chess match. The challenger was one step ahead of the champion.
After twelve hard-fought rounds, many viewers thought the challenger emerged victorious by a round or two. However, the judges’ official scorecard read otherwise, with a majority draw (115-113, 114-114, 114-114). This sparked a sour reaction from the crowd, as Davis was booed while speaking in the ring post-fight.
What Fight Makes Sense For Gervonta Davis?
The reigning WBA champion now finds himself in a peculiar position career-wise. His plans for early retirement seem to have been rained on. Davis has told the media that he hopes to retire after 2025. This unforeseen bump in the road has halted these plans.
That said, fortunately for Davis, he still holds his world title and has many big fights ahead of him. The lightweight division’s champions are as elite as they come. Davis’ reluctance to unify these titles may end after this disparaging performance based on expectations. He now has less leverage in the negotiations for making these marquee title fights.
The most probable step for Davis’s next fight is a rematch with Lamont Roach Jr. The majority of the public would prefer to see the WBA champion unify titles. They want him to face opponents like WBC champion Shakur Stevenson, IBF champion Vasiliy Lomachenko, and WBO champion Keyshawn Davis.
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