WBA Issues Definitive Response To Referee Letting Gervonta Davis Take A Knee Against Lamont Roach

The fallout continues following the Gervonta Davis vs Lamont Roach fight on Saturday.

The pair fought out a majority decision draw at the Barclays Center in New York, but many boxing fans believe that Roach should be the new WBA lightweight champion.

That is due to a controversial ninth round, where Davis voluntarily took a knee and retreated to his corner, though referee Steve Willis chose not to give him a count.

It proved crucial on the scorecards, as scores of 115-113 Davis and 114-114 twice meant that a 10-8 round to Roach in the ninth would have been enough to earn him the win.

Willis has come under criticism for his decision, with many in the sport calling it one of the worst calls they have ever seen, but the WBA have now offered their official take on how things unfolded, revealing that they see no issue in how he handled things.

“From our perspective, Willis’ decision was not unreasonable or unjustifiable. He ruled in real-time that Davis had not been struck by a punch before going down, and therefore, no knockdown should be recorded.

“Judges, by regulation, must follow the referee’s rulings—they do not have the authority to override his decisions on knockdowns. Some skeptics have suggested that Willis’ call benefited Davis unfairly, but we do not subscribe to that notion.

“In our long experience judging fights, we see no evidence of favoritism—only a referee prioritizing the physical safety of a fighter who appeared compromised by an eye injury.”

The words released on the WBA’s official website go in direct contrast to that of President Gilberto Mendoza, who said the fight was controversial and deserves a rematch.