Tank vs. Roach: Controversial Knockdown & A Fight That Stunned Brooklyn!”
Davis Retains Title in a Thrilling Yet Controversial Majority Draw
Brooklyn witnessed boxing drama at its finest as Gervonta “Tank” Davis and Lamont Roach Jr. fought to a stunning majority draw at the Barclays Center. With a sold-out crowd of 19,250 expecting another dominant performance from Davis, the night took a shocking turn that left fans and analysts debating the outcome.
A Slow Start, A Stubborn Challenger & A Night to Forget for Tank
Davis, known for his slow starts, struggled to impose his usual dominance. The judges scored the fight 114-114 twice, with a third giving Davis a narrow 115-113 edge. ESPN’s scorecard also read 114-114.
“Lamont is a great fighter. He’s got skills and power. It was a lesson. Hopefully, we can run it back,” Davis admitted post-fight.
Despite entering as a massive -2000 betting favorite, the undefeated champion found himself in unfamiliar territory as Roach absorbed his power shots, responded with smart counters, and refused to back down.
The Ninth-Round Controversy: A Knockdown That Wasn’t?
The fight’s most controversial moment came in Round 9 when Davis shockingly took a knee after a simple jab from Roach. Referee Steve Wilkes, however, refused to call it a knockdown, citing unclear circumstances.
Davis later claimed that grease from his hair got into his eye, forcing him to take a knee.
“I just got my hair done two days ago, and she put grease in my hair. When I was sweating, it burned my eyes,” Davis explained.
Roach, however, wasn’t buying it.
“If you take a knee and the ref starts counting, it should be a knockdown. If that’s called correctly, I win the fight. But I’m not here to make excuses—I believe I pulled it out anyway,” Roach stated confidently.
The Numbers Tell the Story
Statistically, Roach was the more active fighter, throwing 400 punches to Davis’ 279. While Davis was more accurate with a 36.9% connect rate, Roach’s volume kept him in the fight.
| Punch Stats |
Davis |
Roach |
| Total Landed |
103 |
112 |
| Total Thrown |
279 |
400 |
| Power Landed |
93 |
87 |
| Jabs Landed |
10 |
25 |
Despite a slow start, Davis ramped up the aggression in the later rounds, but Roach’s resilience kept the fight competitive. Roach even stunned Davis with a sharp counter in Round 8, forcing the champ to respect his power.
A Historic Underdog Performance & What’s Next?
Roach, 29, had lost to Davis in the amateurs, and their careers went in different directions—Davis becoming one of boxing’s biggest stars, while Roach had only one prior title shot in 2019. Yet, on this night, Roach stood tall, proving he belonged on the big stage.
For Davis, the result was an unexpected blemish on his record (30-0-1, 28 KOs). Many expected a highlight-reel knockout, but instead, the Baltimore native had to settle for a controversial draw.
“I feel like I was breaking him down, but he kept coming. I didn’t want to make mistakes, so I stayed cautious,” Davis said.
Meanwhile, Roach sees this fight as a win in his book:
“I thought I did enough to get my hand raised. If they want to run it back, I’m ready.”
With the boxing world buzzing, will we see Davis vs. Roach II? The controversy demands an answer, and fans are eager for a rematch to settle the score.
