Officials say 'technical issue' prevented video replay of missed knockdown in Davis-Roach fight
NEW YORK (AP) — The New York State Athletic Commission said a “technical issue” prevented officials from seeing replay of Gervonta Davis going to a knee in the ninth round of his fight against Lamont Roach and is reviewing the matter.
Had officials seen the knockdown that referee Steve Willis did not call, Davis would have lost a point in that round and the result would have allowed Roach to win the fight and Davis' lightweight title. Instead, the fight ended as a majority draw.
“During the round in question, following the commission’s request for the replay video, there was a technical issue preventing the commission from receiving it within the allotted time for review," the NYSAC said in a statement Monday. “Therefore, the referee’s in-ring decision was relied upon and the fight continued.”
The commission added that it was committed to working with all promotions and production teams to ensure technical issues do not occur in future fights.
Roach appeared to land a jab to Davis' eye when the champion suddenly turned away and knelt to the canvas, before getting up and leaning over the ropes so his corner could wipe the area around his eye with a towel.
Davis, who explained afterward that grease got in his eye after having his hair done during the week, won the round 10-9 on two of the judges' scorecards. Roach would have won it 10-8 had the knockdown been credited.
One judge scored the fight 115-113 for Davis and the other two had it 114-114.
Hall of Fame boxer Oscar De La Hoya said he felt the draw was the correct decision if there was no action from the committee, but said there was no doubt a point should have been taken.
“Yes, and that’s a fact," he said. "A point should be deducted if you take a knee. It’s a fact. It’s in the rulebook, right? The fact that they didn’t take it away, then that’s where the controversy is.”
De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions isn't involved with either fighter, so he was just watching as an observer. He said Willis may have been “starstruck” by Davis, adding that the treatment during the round never should have been allowed.
“This is not basketball, where, ‘Wait, hold on, my ankle hurts, let me take a timeout,’” De La Hoya said. “You don’t take timeouts in boxing. It just doesn’t happen. Whether he had something in his eye or not, you have to fight. It’s three minutes to fight, so if you take a knee or go to your corner, I mean the rules are the rules and I don’t know what New York is going to settle on, but the rules are the rules.”
Davis and Roach, who holds a 130-pound title, could fight again. Davis wrote Monday on X that he was “ pushing for the rematch. ”
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