Lamont Roach’s Legal Team Demands Justice: Could Gervonta Davis Lose His Title After Controversial Draw?

The boxing world is buzzing with controversy following the explosive March 1, 2025, showdown between WBA lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis and challenger Lamont Roach Jr. at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. What was initially ruled a majority draw—keeping Davis’s record unblemished at 30-0-1—has now erupted into a full-blown legal battle. Roach’s legal team has fired a bold shot across the bow, submitting a formal request to the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) to overturn the result and declare Roach the rightful victor. With three potential outcomes on the table, this saga could rewrite the narrative of one of boxing’s most debated fights in recent memory. Here’s why this story has everyone on edge.

The drama centers on a bizarre ninth-round incident that left fans, fighters, and officials scratching their heads. Davis, after taking a jab from Roach, dropped to a knee and retreated to his corner without a timeout being called. His trainer, Calvin Ford, then wiped his face with a towel—an action Davis later attributed to “grease” from his hair irritating his eyes. Referee Steve Willis started a mandatory 10-count but waved it off, ruling it neither a knockdown nor a disqualification-worthy offense. The fight continued, ending in a majority draw with scorecards reading 115-113 for Davis and two at 114-114. But had that knee been scored as a knockdown, Roach would have clinched a razor-thin victory—115-112, 114-113, and 114-113—potentially dethroning the champ. Now, Roach’s camp is fighting to make that “what if” a reality.

Roach’s legal team, led by attorney Greg Smith, has laid out three compelling arguments in their letter to the NYSAC. First, they demand a TKO win via disqualification, claiming Davis effectively withdrew from the bout by abandoning the ring mid-round to address his eye issue. Second, they argue for another TKO victory by DQ, pointing to the hair gel as an “illegal irritant” brought into the fight by Davis, violating NYSAC rules that prohibit foreign substances affecting a boxer’s performance or safety. Finally, they propose a revised decision win for Roach, adjusting the scorecards to reflect the ninth-round incident as a knockdown, which they assert was blatantly mishandled by Willis. Each option carries seismic implications—not just for Roach’s career, but for Davis’s pristine legacy.

The stakes couldn’t be higher. Roach, the reigning WBA junior lightweight champ stepping up to challenge Davis, delivered a career-defining performance, outpunching the heavily favored “Tank” in several exchanges and pushing him to the brink. “I thought I pulled it out,” Roach said post-fight, visibly frustrated. “That’s what two skilled fighters do—show off their craft. But if that was counted as a knockdown, I’d have won.” Social media erupted with support for Roach, with many fans and analysts—like multi-division champ Terence Crawford, who tweeted, “I never seen someone take a knee and they don’t count it as a knockdown”—calling the referee’s decision indefensible. Meanwhile, Davis shrugged off the controversy, blaming a recent hair treatment and hinting at a rematch: “Hopefully we can run it back. Lamont’s a great fighter.”

The NYSAC is already under scrutiny after admitting a “technical issue” prevented them from reviewing replay footage during the fight, forcing reliance on Willis’s in-ring call. “The commission is dedicated to preserving the integrity of combative sports,” their statement read, promising to investigate. But Roach’s team isn’t waiting for a passive review—they’re pushing for action. A TKO ruling would strip Davis of his title and hand Roach a historic upset, while a scorecard adjustment could cement his claim as the new lightweight king. Even the hair gel angle, though unconventional, taps into strict regulations about ring conditions, potentially exposing a loophole Davis’s team overlooked.

This isn’t just about one fight—it’s a test of boxing’s accountability. Overturning a result is rare, typically reserved for doping scandals, but the clarity of this miscall has precedent on its side. If the NYSAC sides with Roach, Davis could face his first loss, a stain on his superstar status, while Roach’s stock would skyrocket. The WBA has reportedly pushed for a rematch, and both fighters seem open to it, but this legal move could settle the score before they step back into the ring. Will justice prevail for Roach, or will Davis dodge another bullet? As the commission deliberates, the boxing world holds its breath—because this decision could change everything. Stay tuned—this is far from over. What’s your take on this wild twist? Let us know!