Davis Blames Hair Product in Controversial Roach Draw

In a highly anticipated and controversial fight at the Barclays Center in New York, Gervonta Davis retained his WBA lightweight title with a disputed majority draw against Lamont Roach Jr. The draw has sparked significant debate within the boxing community, with Davis himself offering an unusual explanation for a critical moment in the bout. Despite being unbeaten in his previous 30 fights, Davis’s match with Roach, a WBA super-featherweight champion, ended in a way that left fans and experts questioning the referee’s decisions and the outcome.

The Controversial Moment: Davis Takes a Knee

The controversy started in the ninth round of the fight, where Davis took a voluntary knee. This move came after he appeared to be struggling with his vision, which he later attributed to his hair product. However, the referee did not recognize the knee as a knockdown, which many, including Roach, felt was a significant error in the fight’s officiating.

Davis, who had been largely dominant in the previous rounds, dropped to one knee in the ninth round. While it wasn’t due to a punch from Roach, it was still a moment that stood out in the bout. In most boxing matches, a voluntary knee would be considered a knockdown, but the referee didn’t count it as such.

Roach, who felt the voluntary knee was a key moment in the fight, was quick to voice his displeasure. “If you voluntarily take a knee and the ref’s not counting, that’s a knockdown. If that’s a knockdown, I win the fight,” said Roach, 29, immediately after the match.

This comment speaks to the heart of the controversy. Many felt that the referee’s failure to acknowledge the knee as a knockdown could have shifted the fight in Roach’s favor, possibly leading to a win for the challenger. The bout was a close and competitive one, with both boxers having moments of dominance throughout the rounds.

Davis’s Explanation: A Hair Product Mishap

Gervonta Davis blames shock draw on hair product and missing ring girls | Gervonta Davis

After the fight, Davis addressed the incident involving his knee and offered an unusual explanation. According to Davis, the reason he dropped to a knee wasn’t due to an injury or a punch from Roach, but because of a mishap involving his hair.

Davis explained that he had “just got my hair done two days ago” before the fight and that the grease put in his hair “came into my face and it burned my eyes.” This explanation caught many off guard, with some wondering how such an issue could arise during such an important fight. However, Davis insisted that it was a genuine issue that contributed to his decision to drop to one knee.

“It was the grease in my hair. It burned my eyes, and I had to take a knee to clear it out,” Davis said. This statement only added to the confusion surrounding the controversial moment, with many questioning whether Davis’s reaction was just an excuse or if it was genuinely a result of his hair product affecting his vision.

The Judges’ Scores and the Draw

Gervonta Davis blames hair product after knockdown controversy against Lamont Roach Jr

The fight itself was a closely contested battle, with both Davis and Roach having their moments. While Davis appeared to be in control for much of the fight, Roach made sure to capitalize on any mistakes his opponent made. The majority draw decision was met with mixed reactions from fans and analysts alike.

Two of the three judges scored the fight 114-114, while the third judge gave the win to Davis with a score of 115-113. This scoring meant that Davis retained his WBA lightweight title, but many felt that Roach had done enough to secure a victory, especially given the controversial knee in the ninth round.

Many in the boxing world felt that the knee, had it been counted as a knockdown, would have given Roach a significant advantage. Terence Crawford, a four-weight world champion and a close observer of the fight, was one of the most vocal critics of the decision. Crawford took to social media to express his opinion, stating, “Roach won and that should have been called a knockdown. I’ve never seen someone take a knee and they don’t count it as a knockdown.”

This statement echoed the sentiments of many who believed that Roach had been unfairly denied the opportunity to secure a win in the match. For some, the knee was seen as a pivotal moment that could have turned the tide in Roach’s favor.

Gervonta Davis’s Unbeaten Streak: The Pressure of Perfection

The draw in this fight against Lamont Roach Jr. was particularly notable because it marked the first time in Davis’s career that he had not won a fight. Prior to this match, Davis had a perfect record, winning all 30 of his previous bouts. With this impeccable record, Davis was seen as one of the most dominant forces in the sport.

While a draw is not technically a loss, it certainly marred Davis’s otherwise perfect track record. For many, this fight raised questions about Davis’s future in the lightweight division and whether he would be able to maintain his championship status moving forward. The scrutiny on Davis intensified after the draw, as many boxing fans and analysts began to re-examine his performance and whether he had been truly tested in the way that Roach had tested him during this bout.

Roach’s Call for a Rematch

Following the controversial decision, Lamont Roach Jr. made it clear that he believed he deserved a rematch with Davis. Roach has been vocal in his desire to fight Davis again, particularly due to the controversial knee in the ninth round and the overall decision of the judges.

Roach has since called for the opportunity to prove himself against Davis in a more definitive way. “I want a rematch,” Roach said in the aftermath of the fight. “I believe I won, and I deserve another shot at the title.”

His plea for a rematch highlights the unresolved tension that lingers after the controversial draw. Roach feels that the knee should have been counted as a knockdown, and that this misstep on the referee’s part ultimately cost him the fight. His request for a rematch is fueled not just by his own belief that he won, but also by the controversy that has surrounded the fight’s outcome.

The Undercard: Puello vs. Martin

While the main event garnered much of the attention, the undercard featured an intriguing light-welterweight clash between unbeaten Dominican boxer Alberto Puello and Spain’s Sandor Martin. Puello, who entered the fight with an undefeated record, was successful in retaining his WBC light-welterweight title by defeating Martin via split decision.

Two of the judges scored the fight in favor of Puello, with scores of 115-113 and 116-112, while a third judge scored it 115-113 in favor of Martin. While the decision was split, Puello’s victory solidified his position as one of the top fighters in the light-welterweight division and left Martin with questions about his future in the sport.

Conclusion: A Controversial End to Davis’s Unbeaten Streak

The draw between Gervonta Davis and Lamont Roach Jr. was one of the most controversial moments in recent boxing history. Davis’s explanation for the knee he took in the ninth round, along with the disputed knockdown and the subsequent draw, has sparked widespread debate within the sport. While Davis retained his WBA lightweight title, the question of whether he truly deserved to keep it is one that will linger in the minds of many. As the controversy surrounding the fight continues, boxing fans are left wondering if a rematch between Davis and Roach could finally provide clarity to an otherwise unresolved contest.