New York – The old boxing axioms that say there is no timeout in this ruthless game usually apply to the fighter jets themselves.
Gervonta Davis undoubtedly broke boxing rules early in the ninth round of Saturday night’s WBA lightweight title match, leaving the Lamont lozenge, taking his knees and thrust his head between the ropes, causing co-trainer Calvainford to wipe out any obstructive material from his eyes. Judgment Steve Willis should have taken the points from Davis, who would have lost the decision to split into Roach, as the boxing world has ever known.
It should serve as an invaluable lesson for Davis (30-0-1, 28 KOs). He was too used to whenever he wanted, and whenever he wanted.
It has won professional awards at the elite level. It is his responsibility to know what is permitted and, more importantly, what is violating the rules of sports.
Overly embrace yourself in something other than the dangerous task at hand – placing the product in your hair, choreography into the ring, elaborate entrance, whatever it is, it can be more problematic than the distraction is worth. Ask Paulie Mariganage, who has been transformed into an amateur barber, cutman Danny Milano, during the round between the 12-round split decision victory over Lovemore Nadu in May 2008.
With Milan’s mastery in his corner, Mariganyugi was able to see n’dou and edge the South African contender for the card in a 12-round battle for Marignage’s IBF junior welterweight title in Manchester, England.
Davis’ corner also helped him. Unfortunately, the difference for all involved is that Ford’s illegal aid should disqualify disqualification in accordance with New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) guidelines.
Davis of Baltimore did what he did, whenever he wanted, without anyone saying no to him, as he wanted but was comfortable. Davis accepted his postwar responsibility, unaware that his actions were not within the rules and that he had lost his round trajectory.
Still, the first half of the ninth round is forever embedded in the minds of those who are confused by how it unfolds. It seemed rather comically interested in Davis’ optics, a part-time stand-up comedian, Willis, who downplayed the rules of his sport.
That said, judges make mistakes in real time under bright light, especially in pressurized environments. No one suggests that something evil happened between Willis and Davis.
Perhaps the disqualification seemed unnecessary to the veteran referee, who hosts a completely competitive championship fight.
But that is an undeniable duty of the NYSAC, who assigned Willis to host this 12-round 135-pound title fight to correct the terrible errors the judges made. Executive Director Matt Delaglio sat ringside on this premier boxing champions card.
Delaglio should have been troubled by this ridiculous event, just like everyone else. It’s on his right as head of the NYSAC to begin instant replay reviews after the round.
To my previous point, there is definitely no timeout for boxing the fighter’s own, but there is definitely a timeout available to civil servants who are responsible for maintaining the integrity of the event.
Delaglio would have directed the replay officials assigned to sit near the TV monitor and ordered a review of Davis’ actions before the 10th round began. Had Delaglio exercised that right, Davis would obviously have lost his point and split decision in a fight that was an overwhelming 16-1 favorite for the undefeated WBA lightweight champion to win.
Instead, Roach wonders another draw on his record (25-1-2, 10 KOs) and what could have been frankly for the rest of his life.
However, responsibility for the official outcome does not lie straight to Delaglio.
Roach’s handler should have questioned the committee as soon as the nine rounds were finished. Other than letting Delaglio know that the replay mechanism is free to use and that it should be used to be considered in the outcome, it was necessary to question the committee. And wow, I’ve done that before.
If Roach’s promotional officer, Delaglio or Probox’s Garry Jonas, does his job, Roach will have more leverage in future negotiations than this suspicious draw would be awarded to him. A victory over Davis is far more valuable in such a tricky story than a draw.
Davis was not punished for his blatant violation, so Davis and Roach painted the cards for judges Glenn Feldman and Steve Weiseld. Judge Eric Merlinski won Davis as the 115-113 winner.
Anyway, this is just as easy to teach promoters as officials and commissioners, especially those on the “B” side in famous battles like Davis vs. Roach. If you are sitting in an enclosure, the area between the ring and the first row of fans, let your presence know, even simply in the most professional and clever way.
If you are there to protect the interests of your fighter planes, actually do it. Roach said he is a promotional free agent but has a business partnership with Jonas. Jonas said he was a part-time outlet that hired the author, full-time from 2006 until last year, and owned an outlet that Jonas purchased it from Paramount Global in February 2024.
Roach won a previous battle with the cards that Jonas’s company was promoted. A Maryland resident defeated Ireland’s Fiagar McCrory in an eight-round technical knockout on June 28th in Washington, DC, where Roach was born.
Luckily for Roach, Davis almost certainly exercises his immediate rematch clause. This was placed on the deal by Tom Brown’s TGB promotion if Davis lost or fought a draw. Nevertheless, it costs millions of dollars when he settles into a draw when he was supposed to win. Because becoming the first fighter to defeat the “Tank” is completely different from adding a draw to Davis’ previous perfect record.
Roach did he and his father/trainer Lamont Roach Sr. perform exactly what he would do.
The WBA Super Featherweight Champions have successfully acquired Davis’s pride throughout their matches. And perhaps most importantly, he never showed the many types of fear and uncertainty that many of Davis’ previous enemies allowed “tanks” to be used as a psychological advantage to produce almost all knockouts.
Roach firmly rejected ideas from Davis, and from his strongest supporters and his harshest critics. Not only did he be technically taller than Davis, he also knew Davis better than anyone else he fought.
They were rivals as children. Roach lost both amateur matches in points in 2011 and sparred multiple times before Dobis became a pro in 2013.
Roach’s 29-year-old skills, chin, confidence and grit served him very well when he was most important in the biggest fight of his career.
Win and lose, he would have been obliged to give Davis a rematch. This summer, the second showdown at an outdoor stadium somewhere in Baltimore, Washington, DC, will attract large crowds and do big businesses elsewhere in the DMV area.
That’s not a lightweight title with fans and critics Davis hoped to take next. This isn’t just Davis who receives the opportunity to prove he’s better than Saturday night. He soon made a promise of post-war events that he showed after returning to the gym and working on himself.
This is also a respectful Roach chance to run it in front of fans who want to see far more fights than their first meeting.
Wherever they fight again, I hope that the easily available replay reviews will not be ignored only if they need to take another look at strange events that are as noticeable as Saturday nights and so on. There are millions of reasons.
