The New York State Athletic Commission[NYSAC] takes a closer look at the non-call on Davis’ controversial knee in the ninth round.
The moment in question occurred when Gervonta Davis took a knee in the ninth round so his corner could wipe his eyes. Davis argued that grease from his hair was affecting his vision and that he needed to wipe it off. Referee Steve Willis initially began a count when Davis took a knee, but he ultimately decided not to penalize the fighter. Many believe that the move should have been ruled either a knockdown or a disqualification for Davis. The referee’s decision led to a draw in the fight, which many argue cheated Lamont Roach out of his victory.
Due to the controversy surrounding the incident, the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) released a statement on Monday investigating knee-call.
“At this time, the New York State Athletic Commission is reviewing the matter involving Saturday’s matchup between Lamont Roach and Gervonta Davis,” commission officials said in the statement. “During the round in question, following the commission’s request for the replay video, there was a technical issue that prevented the commission from receiving it within the allotted time for review. Therefore, the referee’s in-ring decision was relied upon, and the fight continued.”
“The commission is dedicated to preserving the integrity of combative sports and is committed to working with all promotions and production teams—on behalf of the athletes, officials, and fans—to ensure technical issues do not occur in the future, preventing the delivery of ringside instant replay feeds to the commission’s officials when needed.”
The NYSAC has yet to release any final decision regarding the fight, but both fighters are now vying for a rematch. Shortly after the fight, Roach came out to request a rematch, and Davis is open to it. The undefeated fighter posted on X: “And say no more. I’m pushing for the rematch… the rematch can be soon too, like end of May.”
