Davis Retains WBA Title in Controversial Draw Against Roach

Gervonta Davis retained his WBA lightweight title in a controversial majority draw against Lamont Roach Jr. at the Barclays Center in New York, with the judges scoring the bout 115-113 for Davis and two others at 114-114. The controversy arose when Davis took a knee in the ninth round, a maneuver that the referee did not count as a knockdown, which Roach argued would have changed the fight's outcome. Both fighters expressed interest in a rematch, with Roach claiming he deserved the victory and Davis admitting he had underperformed. After the fight, Davis explained that he took a knee due to grease from his hair getting into his eye, which was met with boos from the crowd. Prominent figures in boxing, including Terence Crawford, suggested that Roach had been robbed of a rightful win. This bout underscored the competitive nature of boxing, with Roach proving to be a formidable challenger against the undefeated Davis.