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Gervonta “Tank” Davis’ history of slow starts nearly caught up to him Saturday night.
Davis’ defense of his WBA lightweight championship against Lamont Roach Jr. ended in a stunning majority draw at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Two judges scored the fight 114-114 while a third judge scored it 115-113 in Davis’ favor.
Davis (30-0-1, 28 KOs) was a massive -2000 betting favorite on ESPN BET and expected by many to stop Roach. Instead, Roach stood in the line of fire, absorbed what the hard-hitting Davis had to offer and responded with shots that stunned not only Davis but those in attendance.
As expected, Davis got off to a slow start through the first half of the fight. Roach (25-2-1) took advantage, pressed the action and avoided getting caught with a fight-ending punch.
By the middle rounds, Davis began to open up his offense. But Roach held his ground and caught the champion with counters and combinations.
In a unique scene, Davis inexplicably took a knee in the ninth round. Referee Steve Wilkes decided to not score it a knockdown, as Davis suggested that he had something in his eye. The fight resumed, but the knockdown could have swung the pendulum in favor of Roach.
Davis pursued the knockout in the championship rounds, but Roach fought valiantly, landing counters and body shots.
Neither fighter was pleased with the result, with both calling for a rematch afterward.
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