Ryan Garcia Sums Up Gervonta Davis Taking a Knee Against Lamont Roach Perfectly in Just 5 Words
Gervonta “Tank” Davis clung to his WBA Lightweight World Title last night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, but the controversial majority draw against challenger Lamont Roach Jr. has left the boxing world divided, with many believing Roach deserved the victory. The fight’s explosive ninth-round moment—when Davis took a knee, claimed grease in his hair impaired his vision, and referee Steve Willis bizarrely failed to call it a knockdown—has sparked outrage and debate. Now, Ryan Garcia, the only fighter to suffer a professional loss to Davis, has perfectly captured the absurdity of the incident in a succinct, five-word social media post that’s gone viral, reigniting the controversy and fueling calls for a rematch.
The bout, broadcast live on SHOWTIME PPV, was a nail-biter from start to finish, pitting Davis’ explosive knockout power (28 KOs in 31 wins) against Roach’s gritty determination and technical prowess (now 25-1-2). As the rounds progressed, Roach grew stronger, landing crisp jabs and combinations that frustrated Davis, who struggled to connect with the devastating power shots that have defined his career. By the later rounds, “Tank” appeared cautious, unable to break down Roach’s resilience, leading many ringside analysts to score the fight in Roach’s favor.
The turning point came in the ninth round, when Davis, mid-exchange, suddenly took a knee, claiming grease from his freshly styled braids had burned his eyes. He stood up, retreated to his corner for a wipe-down, and continued fighting, but referee Steve Willis’ decision not to rule it a knockdown proved pivotal. The final scorecards read 115-113 for Davis and 114-114 twice, resulting in a majority draw that preserved Davis’ undefeated 30-0-1 record but left Roach—and much of the boxing community—fuming. CompuBox stats showed Roach outlanding Davis 112-103, reinforcing the perception that Roach outworked the champion.
Post-fight, Davis attempted to explain the incident, telling *ESPN*, “I got my hair done two days ago, and she put grease in it. It burned my eyes. Why are you booing like this is bulls**t. It’s real facts.” He also called for a rematch, saying, “Hopefully we can run it back for sure. Let’s bring it back to New York and have the rematch for sure. I think I pulled it off with the last three rounds for sure. I was catching him with some clean shots. I was breaking him down as the fight went on. I didn’t want to make mistakes, so I kept it cautious. He is a great fighter and has the skills. It was a lesson.”
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But the real firestorm ignited when Ryan Garcia, 26, took to X to voice his outrage. The former WBC interim lightweight champion, whose only professional loss came via a seventh-round TKO to Davis in April 2023, didn’t mince words. In a post that’s amassed over 3 million views and 1.5 million likes, Garcia wrote, “Lamont won that. Wildest. Knee. Ever. Seen.” Those five words—sharp, succinct, and dripping with incredulity—perfectly encapsulated the absurdity of Davis’ knee incident and Willis’ non-call, resonating with fans and experts alike.
Garcia didn’t stop there. In a follow-up interview with *The Ring*, he elaborated, “Lamont won that fight. Not calling that knockdown is the wildest thing I’ve ever seen in boxing. That type of stuff makes boxing look bad. Tank’s lucky the ref bailed him out, but everyone knows Roach outworked him.” His comments, echoing the sentiment of many, have fueled the #RoachRobbed hashtag on X, where fans are demanding justice and a rematch, with posts like “Ryan’s right—Lamont got cheated, and that knee was a joke” and “Davis dodged a bullet thanks to Willis.”
Referee Steve Willis, who has faced intense scrutiny, defended his decision in a statement to *Yahoo Sports*, saying, “I saw Gervonta take a knee due to an apparent issue with his vision, not a punch. There was no knockdown, and I stand by my call.” However, the backlash has been swift, with boxing legends like Terence Crawford and Deontay Wilder weighing in on X. Crawford posted, “That wasn’t a knockdown? C’mon, Willis—this smells fishy,” while Wilder added, “Boxing’s integrity is on the line here. Roach deserved better.”
Davis’ purse of $5 million and Roach’s $200,000 payout have also intensified speculation about bias or pressure, though no evidence of wrongdoing has surfaced—yet. The New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) has opened a review of the fight, promising to examine Willis’ decision and the scoring, but no timeline for a conclusion has been set.
For Roach, the fight was a chance to cement his legacy as a lightweight contender, and his camp is pushing hard for a rematch. “We know Lamont won, and the world knows it too,” said trainer Calvin Ford on *ESPN*. “Ryan’s five words hit it on the head—wildest knee ever. We’re not stopping until we get our justice.” Davis, meanwhile, remains defiant, telling *Sports Illustrated*, “I fought my fight, and I’ll run it back if I have to. The grease was real, and I’m still the champ.”
Whether Roach gets his rematch—and whether Mayweather’s accusation (see related story) gains traction—remains unclear, but Garcia’s viral five-word summary has cemented the ninth-round knee as the defining moment of this controversial draw. As the boxing world awaits the NYSAC’s verdict, #WildestKneeEver continues to trend on X, driven by Garcia’s sharp commentary and the lingering question: Was justice served in Brooklyn?
