This weekend in Brooklyn, Gervonta Davis was taken the distance for just the third time in 31 fights. In the opposite corner was Lamont Roach Jr – a man many feel should now be WBA Lightweight World Champion.

‘Tank’ retained his belt with a majority draw on the cards, buoyed by a bizarre move from referee Steve Willis in round nine not to call a knockdown despite the champion unquestionably taking a knee.

It was a rare occasion that Davis’ power couldn’t turn the tide, with Roach willing to stand and trade a little more as the fight went on, and even forcing the champion back with his own shots on occasion. His performance, and the uncalled knockdown, let pound-for-pound superstar Terence Crawford declare Roach was ‘robbed.’

It is just the second full twelve rounds ‘Tank’ Davis has completed after beating Isaac Cruz by unanimous decision back in 2021. In his ninth fight he was also taken the distance by German Ivan Meraz, winning a UD after six.

In the aftermath at the post-fight press conference, Roach said that the knockout artist from Baltimore has ‘decent power,’ and said his hearing the final bell was down to his own chin.

“He got decent power. He got decent power for sure. I ain’t going to say it’s exaggerated. I just told you I got a chin. I ain’t going like that. It’s just not going to happen.

“But like I said, I see why he knock people out. I just think he felt my power too. I think that’s what negated a lot of his shots. Once I took his best shot, I was like, oh, yeah, it’s time to roll. Like I said, I knew I had a chin. I sparred guys that were like junior middleweights, like current champions that was at that weight. So I know I can take a punch.

“He’s twitchy in there. I do see why he knock people out. I mean, like being up close and personal, obviously I seen it on the TV like that. But I understand why he knock people out.”

Both fighters have shown interest in a rematch, though ‘Tank’ Davis says it won’t be next.