Perhaps the biggest mistake Lamont Roach made was beginning to believe—that the injustice could be reversed. That he could still become a two-division champion and end Gervonta Davis‘s perfect streak. But as we know, nothing of that sort has happened.
On March 1, Roach-Davis faced each other in an instant classic, marred by one controversial decision. During the latter rounds, Tank took a knee and should have been counted as a knock down according to the rules. However, referee Steve Willis let the fight continue without any penalty, resulting in a Majority Draw. It was a bittersweet outcome for “The Reaper,” who had begun to believe he’d done enough to win.
However, a glimmer of hope emerged when the New York State Athletic Commission started reviewing the matter. Even WBA president Gilberto J Mendoza backed the Washington native, declaring the knee should have been counted as a knockdown. Furthermore, with reports and rumors suggesting that NYSAC was going to overturn the decision, Roach’s hopes flickered back to life.
Let me repeat: I standby what expressed last Sunday in @ringmagazine based on my 30 years plus experience. Taking a knee without a punch shall be rule a knockdown. It affected the result of the fight.
— Gilberto J Mendoza (@GilberticoWBA) March 5, 2025
But things once again came crashing down when NYSAC upheld the referee’s decision due to a “technical issue” restricting them from reviewing the footage. That was another gut punch for Lamont Roach. He was ready for a reversal—or at least some clarity—after being involved in such a controversy.
Now, it seems like he has finally gotten one. One that he didn’t like a bit.
Recently, the 29-year-old sat down with Andre Ward on the All The Smoke Fight podcast. As expected, the March 1 bout was under the microscope. During the conversation, Roach revealed how the officials connected with him after the review. He also explained how the referee’s ignorant behavior rubbed him the wrong way.
Lamont Roach: Gervonta Davis wouldn’t take the fall
During the conversation, Ward asked, “New York State Athletic Commission, what was the reason they gave you for not overturning it (decision)?” Roach replied that according to NYSAC, a counted knockdown would have changed the fight completely. Not just the score but the approach of Gervonta Davis as well. “If it would have been a scored a knockdown, there’s no definite outcome of how Gervonta would have responded or fought with the remaining rounds to go.”
It was a vague statement—one that Roach, the WBA featherweight champion, had to interpret himself. And he did. “What I took from that is basically yeah we messed up but somebody got to take the fall and it ain’t going to be him,” he explained. Roach further added that he believed that it was NYSAC’s way of accepting that the official “messed up.” However, overturning the decision at this point in time would be damaging to their reputation.
“They owned up to it, it’s like but they just saying like ‘All right we not going to overturn it though. We’re going to apologize and give you your flowers. But you ain’t going to get what you want,’ that’s basically what I got from it,” he concluded. Though it didn’t satisfy him, Roach felt relieved after getting that well-deserved explanation. Something that will motivate him during the rematch.
However, referee Steve Willis’ silence even after so long has left a sour taste in his mouth. “He ain’t make no statement,” Roach stated. Ward jumped in, calling Willis’ inaction a poor move. He stressed that officials owe clarity when their calls sway a fighter’s legacy. So, an apology is the least they could give to keep things fair for Roach.
Well, the decision has indeed left a dent in Lamont Roach’s legacy, restricting him from a career-defining victory. Furthermore, as Ward noted, it has also affected his bargaining power for the rematch. Do you think Willis should have made an apology statement? Let us know your thoughts down below.
The post Referee’s “No Apology” Act Triggers Lamont Roach Jr. as Boxer Slams Official for Favoring Gervonta Davis appeared first on EssentiallySports.
