The New York State Athletic Commission (NYAC) is investigating a contentious moment in Saturday’s fight between Gervonta “Tank” Davis and Lamont Roach. In the ninth round, Davis took a knee after voluntarily removing his glove, which could have been considered a knockdown. However, referee Steve Willis chose not to penalize Davis, allowing him to continue fighting.
Davis claimed that grease from his hair was in his eyes, causing him to take a temporary timeout to address the issue. The decision not to penalize Davis cost Roach the win, resulting in a majority draw (114-114). If the point deduction had stood, Roach would have earned a majority decision victory.
The NYAC issued a statement on Monday, revealing that a technical issue hindered their review of the footage. “A technical issue prevented the commission from receiving the replay video within the allotted time,” the statement explained. The commission is committed to ensuring the integrity of combat sports and preventing similar issues in the future.
Roach has already expressed interest in a rematch with Davis, who has stated his willingness to face him again soon. Davis tweeted: “And say no more. I’m pushing for the rematch…the rematch can be soon too, like end of May.”
Source: https://www.mmafighting.com/2025/3/3/24377172/new-york-athletic-commission-issues-statement-controversial-call-in-tank-davis-vs-lamont-roach-fight