NYSAC acknowledges referee error but Tank-Roach draw will stand
Also: Read complete ruling from commission on massive controversy
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The Gervonta “Tank” Davis-Lamont Roach Jr. majority draw will stand.
New York State Athletic Commission executive director Matt Delaglio notified the camps via letter on Friday that the commission would uphold the result of their PBC on Prime Video pay-per-view main event on March 1 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, where Davis retained the WBA lightweight title against Roach, the WBA junior lightweight titleholder moving up in weight and a huge underdog.
The commission acknowledged an error made by referee Steve Willis during the extremely controversial ninth round, when he failed to call Roach’s knockdown of Davis that was the difference between a Roach unanimous decision win and a draw, and the commission’s inability to enact instant replay within the prescribed time limit due to what it said was “a technical issue” receiving the replay. But it also said it would not overturn the result.
Roach’s team filed a protest, citing a variety issues and seeking that the commission change the draw — 114-114, 114-114 and 115-113 for Davis — to a Roach victory.
In the four-page letter sent by Delaglio to Roach attorney Greg Smith and Davis attorney Jeffrey Spitz, a copy of which was obtained by Fight Freaks Unite, Delaglio wrote, “Without making a finding of fact, the Commission will assume as true that the referee erred in ruling that Mr. Davis sustained a knockdown in the ninth round. However, since the bout continued for more than three full rounds after the referee’s no knockdown call, and because the boxers necessarily adjusted to the referee’s ruling, the referee’s call was not outcome-determinative.
“Based on their perception and assessment of the nature of their performance in the preceding rounds and present action of a bout, including the impacts of the referee's decisions, boxers accordingly adjust their strategy, approach, and behavior in the sequences and rounds that follow. Here, it cannot be conclusively said that had a knockdown been ruled by the referee in the ninth round, that the actions that followed in the tenth, eleventh and twelfth rounds of the bout would have taken the same path forward with the same results for each later round — and that the scores recorded and results for those following rounds would have remained the same. Such conjecture would be misplaced, and setting such a precedent is not viewed by the Commission as guaranteeing a correct outcome retroactively or as in keeping with the best interest of boxing.
“Therefore, the Commission will not alter the final, official outcome of the bout as determined by the judges.”
‘The Commission will assume as true that the referee erred in ruling that Mr. Davis sustained a knockdown in the ninth round,’ — NYSAC ruling
Roach expressed disappointed in the decision in a social media post.
“I’m not surprised about the decision by the NYSAC,” Roach wrote. “A lil disappointed, yea. Especially when they ACKNOWLEDGED the fact that Steve made the wrong calls in the 9th round. But I wasn’t banking on the overturn. Everyone know I won the fight and I’m satisfied with that.”
Robert Diaz, Roach’s adviser, told Fight Freaks Unite, “I am very disappointed with the decision by NYSAC. When an athlete is in the wrong they are discipline immediately. However, the men in long pants (referees) are never wrong or disciplined. It’s time for change for the better of our sport.”
With 2 minutes, 17 seconds remaining in the ninth round, Roach fired a right hand followed by two left jabs, the second of which appeared to connect with Davis’ right eye. Davis immediately turned away and took a knee for what appeared to be a textbook knockdown.
Willis initially ruled a knockdown, sent Roach to a neutral corner, picked up the count from the timekeeper and began to administer the mandatory eight-count.
As Willis was counting, Davis rushed to his corner, where Calvin Ford, one of his trainers, came up the ring steps — a rules violation that is grounds for a point deduction or disqualification — and, at Davis’ request, wiped down his face with a white towel, another blatant rules violation that also could have resulted in a point deduction or disqualification.
After a brief discussion between Davis and Willis, who was wearing a microphone, he could be heard clearly saying to Davis, “I understand. You take a knee like that and it looks like a knockdown, alright?”
Then he patted Davis (30-0-1, 28 KOs), 30, a southpaw from Baltimore, on the chest and called for the action to resume, having abandoned the eight-count and leaving many dumbfounded by what had happened.
Had Willis officially ruled the knockdown the judges would have been compelled to score the round 10-8 in favor of Roach based on the scoring guidelines of the Association of Boxing Commissions. But because Roach (25-1-2, 10 KOs), 29, of Washington, D.C., did not get the benefit of the extra point for a knockdown — and the rest of the fight played out as it did — it cost him an upset unanimous decision win; a world title in a second weight class; revenge for a pair of amateur decision losses to Davis; the glory of handing one of boxing’s biggest stars his first loss; and potentially millions of dollars in a deal for a rematch.
The commission ruling said that Willis missed the call.
“Upon observing Mr. Davis as down, the referee ordered Mr. Roach to a neutral corner and began the count,” Delaglio wrote in the ruling. “Thereafter, however, the referee discontinued the count and provided a warning to Mr. Davis regarding his conduct. It is the sense of the Commission following an extensive after-the-fact review of the footage of the ninth round that the most appropriate call under the circumstances presented would have been for the referee to determine that Mr. Davis’ knee contacting the canvas constituted a ‘knockdown.’ However, the determination of whether a knockdown occurred in that instance was within the discretion and authority of the referee.”
The letter noted that Willis “attempted to engage instant replay to review the matter prior to the start of the 10th round. However, due to a technical issue, the instant replay was not received by the replay official when requested and could not be viewed to assist with the determination in the time allowed.”
Sources also previously told Fight Freaks Unite that replay official Ricky Gonzalez, the alternate referee, had sought the replay from the production truck within seconds of Davis taking a knee but was unable to receive it in a timely manner.
In the letter, Delaglio also said that while Willis could have docked points or disqualified Davis for going to the corner; for Ford coming up onto the ring apron; and for Ford toweling off Davis’ face, Willis was within his authority not to do so and did not violate NYSAC rules. After the fight Davis said he took a knee — a knockdown — because hair product had gotten into his eyes and caused a burning sensation.
“For the foregoing reasons, the Commission will not take further action in regard to your protest, and the official result of the bout will not be disturbed,” Delaglio wrote.