Undeniable Injustice: Roach Robbed In Brooklyn
It hurts to say it, but devoted boxing fans are, despite decades of exposure, far from immune to the sting of controversial decisions. This past Saturday night was yet another such instance, another occasion when our favorite sport sustained a painful hit to its integrity and credibility. Anyone watching with a general understanding of pugilism and how a boxing match is to be judged could, without difficulty, see why Lamont Roach Jr. clearly deserved to walk away with Gervonta Davis’ WBA lightweight title. Now it’s Monday and wherever fight fans are gathered around the proverbial water cooler, it is time to air our grievances about Saturday night’s debacle.
From the opening bell, Lamont Roach Jr. showed he was not there to be another notch on Davis’ record. The D.C. native, jumping up from the super featherweight division, proved a difficult puzzle for the Baltimore-based power-puncher. Showcasing crisp footwork, a persistent jab, and sharp counters, Roach forced Davis to go the full twelve round distance and forced fight fans to re-evaluate the standing of both fighters. The clear-cut underdog stood toe-to-toe with the defending champion, absorbing Davis’ best power shots and firing back with stiff counters from an effective Philly shell, in the process making “Tank” look human for the first time in years.
The fight saw a bizarre turn in round nine when the lightweight champion abruptly took a knee, complaining of his eyes burning as he scurried to his corner to consult his team. However, respected referee Steve Willis did not rule the knee as a knockdown for Roach. It must be nice for a fighter to be provided such a privilege, perhaps because Davis remains one of the cash cows in the sport. To state the obvious, there are no timeouts in the squared ring unless a call is made by the referee, but the decision to not call this a knockdown sets a dangerous precedent for future championship bouts. Roach did not protest as Willis allowed the bout to continue but there can be no doubt the challenger had pushed “Tank” Davis to a point of vulnerability that no other pugilist had done before. Surely, had referee Willis ruled it a knockdown for Roach, as he should have, we would have had an early contender for upset of the year.
As the championship rounds unfolded, Roach skillfully pressed on. The challenger timed his counters in between exchanges, snapping back the champion’s head on several occasions. Lamont Roach was fighting like a man who knew his moment had come, like a fighter who would not be denied. This was his golden moment to seize and when that final bell rang many, if not most, at ringside felt Roach had done enough to earn the coveted title. The scorecards, however, told a different story: 115-113 for Davis, and two 114-114 draws. These are the type of scores that, unless universally accepted, leave a sour taste in the mouths of fans and professional pundits alike.
My own card read 116-112 for Lamont Roach Jr. as I saw the D.C. boxer having success in the early rounds, clearly out-landing the champion and making use of effective body shots, while Davis danced about seemingly to warm up and find his rhythm. “Tank” asserted himself from round five through to the seventh, landing some hard power shots, but he spent too much time talking to Roach and failed to capitalize on his success. The ninth round alone helped Roach’s case dramatically as, without any doubt whatsoever, it should have been a two point round for the challenger.
As for the championship rounds, Roach made a good account of himself standing toe-to-toe with Davis. Both slung as much leather as they could muster but I had Roach edging Davis in these exchanges, and he finished the final round strong, landing left hooks repeatedly to end his effective combinations. Lamont Roach Jr. had entered the ring as the underdog, but he boxed like a man possessed and his performance is a reminder that, regardless of the odds, a solid strategy combined with an indomitable will can translate into even the most dominant of champions being pushed to the limit.
Roach’s performance and the controversial outcome reminded this fan of similar head-scratching draw verdicts from officials. Lennox Lewis having to settle for a tie in his first battle with Evander Holyfield in 1999 is an obvious parallel, as is Julio Cesar Chavez vs Pernell Whitaker in 1995, when Whitaker displayed the highest level of ring IQ and defensive tactics. Another such instance was the long overdue rematch between Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns in 1989 when Hearns twice sent Leonard to the canvas. Often overlooked in comparison to the first Sugar Ray vs “The Hitman” clash, the unsatisfying draw verdict reminded fight fans that boxing is, well, subjective.
As the calls for a rematch fill our social media timelines, one thing is clear: Lamont Roach Jr. has announced his arrival at the top of the lightweight division. He may have not left Brooklyn with an official victory and the shiny belt, but he did leave with what could be argued to be even more valuable: the respect of the boxing community and the knowledge that he can compete with the very best.
In the end, whether Lamont Roach, the super featherweight champion, was robbed of the victory is a question which all fight fans should be discussing and debating, though in my view there is little to debate. This is was an obvious injustice: Roach deserved the victory. What also cannot be debated is the heart, skill, and determination the long-shot challenger showed while squaring off with one of the current “faces of boxing.” The overwhelming odds Lamont Roach Jr. overcame, only to be met with a less than desirable decision, should function as a both a cautionary tale and a story of inspiration for underdogs everywhere. He is the only man, so far, to have drawn with Gervonta Davis, ruining “Tank’s” undefeated streak. In this cruel and beautiful world of boxing, sometimes that is a victory in itself, and what one must settle for.
–Jeffrey Fuss
