Davis and Roach fight to majority draw, Tank keeps title as potential missed knockdown looms large

By Canadian Press on March 1, 2025.

NEW YORK (AP) — Gervonta Davis held onto his lightweight title when he and Lamont Roach fought to a majority draw on Saturday night, with a potential missed knockdown keeping Davis from what would have been the first loss of his career.

One judge gave the fight to Davis 115-113, while the other two scored it 114-114.

Davis (30-0-1) willingly went to a knee near his corner in the ninth round, then leaned over the ropes so they could towel off the area around his eye. Referee Steve Willis did not count it as a knockdown, as it should be when a knee hits the canvas. Had it been, Davis would have automatically lost a point from his score.

The soldout crowd at Barclays Center booed after when Davis explained that it was grease from his hair that got in his eye that caused him to stop for assistance.

Roach (25-1-2) fell just short in his attempt to add a belt in a second weight class after the 130-pound champion moved up to the 135-pound limit.

But he made it far closer than expected after Davis came in as a -1600 favorite on BetMGM, meaning a $1,600 wager would win just $100.

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AP boxing: https://apnews.com/boxing

Brian Mahoney, The Associated Press