WBA lightweight champion Gervonta Davis retained his title against Lamont Roach Jr. but owes his rival a hefty check.
Gervonta Davis and Lamont Roach Jr. went the 12-round distance in their WBA lightweight title clash on Saturday in Brooklyn. The matchup between two of the top pound-for-pound boxers didn’t disappoint, and Roach nearly pulled off the massive upset.
Despite a controversial moment late in the fight, in which many viewers and experts felt Roach deserved a knockdown that wasn’t ruled as such, the fight went to a majority draw. Two judges ruled the bout a 114-114 draw, while one judge scored it 115-113 in Davis’ favor.
Many top names, including Jake Paul and Terence Crawford, believed Roach deserved the nod. But despite falling short of securing the win, Roach proved he’s one of the best and won a pre-fight bet with Davis.
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Gervonta Davis owes Lamont Roach Jr. six figures after pre-fight bet goes wrong
At the official weigh-in on Friday, Davis and Roach exchanged barbs in their final pre-fight faceoff. As captured on nearby microphones, Davis proposed a $250k bet that he would finish Roach in their fight, to which Roach agreed.
But after their fight went the full distance, and arguably should’ve gone in Roach’s favor, it’s uncertain if Davis will keep up his end of the bargain.
Pre-fight bets are becoming increasingly common in combat sports and especially boxing. The Paul brothers are notorious for challenging their opponents to pre-fight bets.
Regardless, the 29-year-old Roach secured a future big bag with his performance against Davis. He gave the undefeated champion arguably the toughest test of his career after Davis had dismantled most of his previous opponents with ease.
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Gervonta Davis vs. Lamont Roach Jr. rivalry adds a new chapter after draw
It’s uncertain if Davis and Roach will run back their majority draw or pursue other opponents for their next fights. Davis previously teased retirement ahead of the Roach fight, but with potentially lucrative fights with the likes of Shakur Stevenson and Keyshawn Davis in the mix, he may stick around for a few more bookings.
Davis also wants a nine-figure payday for a potential rematch with Ryan Garcia, to whom he handed his first-career defeat in April 2023. Garcia will return to pro boxing against Rolando Romero later this year.
As for Roach, he remains unbeaten through his last seven fights since a unanimous decision loss to Jamel Herring in 2019.