Boxing

Lamont Roach Slams NYSAC Verdict On Gervonta Davis Fight

Lamont Roach Jr. made his opinion of NYSAC not overturning the draw decision of his Gervonta "Tank" Davis fight extremely clear.
Grant Young|
Lamont Roach Jr. looks on disappointed after hearing his title challenge against Gervonta "Tank" Davis on March 1, 2025.
Lamont Roach Jr. looks on disappointed after hearing his title challenge against Gervonta "Tank" Davis on March 1, 2025. | IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

On March 7, news broke that the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) has decided that the Gervonta "Tank" Davis vs. Lamont Roach Jr. draw decision will not be overturned, despite the controversial and much-discussed knee that Davis took in the ninth round.

In their verdict, the NYSAC stated, "The bout continued for more than three full rounds after the referee's no knockdown call, and because the boxers necessarily adjusted to the referee's ruling, the referee's call was not outcome-determinative."

The statement also added that while NYSAC believes the knee should have been ruled a knockdown, it "was within the discretion and authority of the referee," to make that decision. And because the bout's referee Steve Willis didn't deem it a knockdown, it isn't up to them to dispute that.

Nobody is likely more frustrated about this outcome than Lamont Roach Jr. And on March 8, he sent two posts on X addressing his appeal to NYSAC and their ultimate verdict.

"Look man I’m going tell yall straight up I aint sue nobody. STFU. MY TEAM submitted an appeal on my behalf. What it look like not having a team that don’t pull that trigger on some [expletive] that they know was wrong. They stood up for me. So all that lawsuit [expletive] yall can put to rest," Roach Jr. wrote.

He also added, "I’m not surprised about the decision by the NYSAC. A lil disappointed, yea. Especially when they ACKNOWLEDGED the fact that Steve made the wrong calls in the 9th round. But I wasn’t banking on the overturn. Everyone know I won the fight and I’m satisfied with that. Part 2 otw".

At least it seems likely that Roach Jr. will have a chance for revenge against Davis during their rematch.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young is a Staff Writer for On SI’s Boxing, New York Mets, Indiana Fever, and Women’s Fastbreak sites. Before joining SI in 2024, he wrote for various boxing and sports verticals such as FanBuzz and NY Fights. Young has a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a master’s degree in creative writing with an emphasis on sports nonfiction from the University of San Francisco, where he played five seasons of Division 1 baseball. He fought Muay Thai professionally in Thailand in 2023, loves a good essay, and is driven crazy trying to handle a pitpull puppy named Aura. Young lives in San Diego and was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area.