Nov 2, 2019; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Ryan Garcia (blue trunks) celebrates after knocking out Romero Duno (not pictured) in their WBC silver and NABO lightweight title bout at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Garcia won via first round TKO. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

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Ryan Garcia Takes A Dig At Gervonta Davis After His Fight With Roach

Ryan Garcia throws shade at Gervonta Davis following his victory over Roach, stirring up more tension between them!

Boxing fans know that rivalries fuel the sport. Ryan Garcia and Gervonta Davis have traded barbs for years. Their April 2023 fight ended with Davis winning against Garcia in round seven with a clean body shot. But the bad blood remains fresh.

This weekend, boxing witnessed another controversial moment. Gervonta Davis defended his WBA lightweight title against Lamont Roach at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. What should have been a straightforward title defense turned into a social media firestorm. In the ninth round, Davis took a knee. Most viewers saw it as intentional. However, the referee disagreed.

The knee incident changed everything. Boxing rules are clear – a fighter taking a knee counts as a knockdown. When the referee failed to count it, fans cried foul. The judges scored the fight a majority draw (114-114, 114-114, 115-113 Davis), allowing Davis to keep his title. But many believed Roach deserved the victory.

Also Read: Separate Fights For Ryan Garcia, Teofimo Lopez And Devin Haney Announced

Ryan Garcia Takes Shots At Davis

Davis’ former opponent, Ryan Garcia wasted no time jumping into the controversy. He stood behind Lamont Roach and was confident that the super featherweight champion had done enough to secure the victory.

“Lamont won that. Not calling that knockdown is the most wild thing I ever seen in boxing, that type of stuff makes boxing look bad .CRAZY SH*T SEE YALL MAY 2nd”

Lamont won that 🤷‍♂️

Not calling that knockdown is the most wild thing I ever seen in boxing, that type of stuff makes boxing look bad

CRAZY SHIT SEE YALL MAY 2nd
— RYAN GARCIA (@RyanGarcia) March 2, 2025

Garcia couldn’t resist adding a plug for his own upcoming fight on May 2nd. He is set to face Rolly Romero in Times Square. If he manages to win this fight, he has a plethora of options infront of him. These include rematches with Devin Haney and Tank Davis as well!

For Ryan Garcia, this moment provided perfect ammunition. His rivalry with Davis has always been personal. Their contrasting styles – Garcia’s speed versus Davis’ power – make for compelling storyline. Garcia’s April 2023 loss to Davis still stings, and any opportunity to question Davis’ legitimacy serves his narrative.

Davis’ Explanation

Gervonta Davis offered a peculiar explanation for taking the knee. He blamed a recent hair appointment, claiming,

“I just got my hair done two days ago and she put grease in my hair. When I was sweating and things like that, it burned my eyes.”

This explanation raised eyebrows across the boxing community. Hair grease causing a fighter to take a knee? Many fans found it hard to swallow.

Lamont Roach, understandably frustrated, stated the obvious after the fight.

“If you take a knee and the ref starts counting, it should be a knockdown. If that’s a knockdown, I win the fight. I’m not banking on that knockdown to win. I just thought I pulled it out.”

The class shown by Roach in defeat won him new fans. The boxing world now buzzes about a potential rematch between Davis and Roach. Meanwhile, Garcia prepares for his own return to the ring on May 2nd. The lightweight division remains one of boxing’s most exciting, with talents like Devin Haney and Vasiliy Lomachenko adding to the mix. One thing’s certain – in boxing, controversy sells tickets. And this latest chapter ensures fans will tune in next time Davis or Garcia step through the ropes!

(Image Credit: Joe Camporeale – Imagn Images)

Gervonta Davis

Lamont Roach

Ryan Garcia

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!