A video has emerged of referee Steve Willis being asked about his controversial call during Gervonta Davis and Lamont Roach’s draw last weekend.
Willis came under fire after failing to score a clear knockdown in the ninth stanza.
Midway through the round, Roach caught Davis with a grazing jab that appeared to compromise his vision.
After eating the shot, Davis dropped down to one knee before making his way over to his corner to have debris wiped from his eye.
By the letter of the law, Willis should have scored a knockdown but after initially administering a count he broke it off and let the action resume.
It was a strange decision from a referee who has an excellent track record in the sport.
Willis has remained silent on the incident since it happened, however, one fan quizzed him on the call while he was going about his day.
“What were you thinking when Tank took the knee,” the man holding the phone asked Willis, who was standing behind a desk at the time of the ambush.
Willis replied: “I can’t speak on that.”
The fan pressed further: “Can’t speak on that? He did some b***** though.”
Willis then reiterated: “I can’t speak on it. I can’t.”
Willis’ decision cost Roach the fight and the WBA lightweight title
In the end, the bout was declared a majority draw, with one judge scoring it 115-113 for Davis, while the other two had it 114-114 even.
A 10-8 round in the ninth would have been enough to edge the decision in Roach’s favour, leading to calls for the result to be overturned.
The New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) declared that a “technical issue” prevented the use of instant replay within the “usual allotted time for review”, so they relied on the referee’s in-ring decision.
Davis revealed that grease from his hair was dripping into his eyes and that is why he took a knee.
The commission did not say that they were looking into changing the outcome of the fight, but the incident is now subject to an official enquiry from the NYSAC.
Roach was understandably frustrated by the call.
“Honestly, I felt like I should’ve won without that being counted a knockdown,” said Roach at his post-fight press conference.
“Look, I ain’t the ref. If he had to wipe sweat out of his eye, he had to wipe sweat out of his eye, but the rules do state if you voluntarily take a knee then that’s an automatic eight count…
“Did ya’ll see me in the ring tell him to keep counting? He started counting, I was like ‘Why you stop?’
“Like, keep counting. But I honestly don’t know. I don’t know, but I can’t go back and change it.”
A rematch will now be pursued to re-write the wrong while Roach’s lawyer has sent the NYSAC a letter requesting the draw be overturned to a win for his client.
