The March 1st showdown at Barclays Center, Brooklyn, will be etched in boxing history for years to come. Gervonta Davis entered the ring with a pristine 30-0 record, expecting another routine victory. But the man many dismissed as a mere stepping stone, Lamont Roach Jr., turned out to be a roadblock Davis never saw coming. The WBA Lightweight championship fight ended with no hand raised—a rare sight in the sport. Many are of the opinion that had referee Steve Willis called the knee in the ninth round a knockdown, Roach would have walked away with a victory. The outcome left fans crying foul, with Roach too demanding to the NYSAC for the draw to be overturned. However, not everyone is singing the same tune—some see things very differently.

Teofimo Lopez is set to put his WBO Super Lightweight belt on the line against Arnold Barboza Jr. The stacked event will also feature Devin Haney locking horns with Jose Ramirez and Ryan Garcia squaring off against Rolando Romero in Times Square on May 2. With only two months left until fight night, all the fighters stepped into the spotlight at the Fatal Fury press conference to make things official. And this is where Teofimo Lopez unexpectedly threw his support behind the Baltimore native, not just in regard to the Lamont Roach fight but also another highly anticipated fight.

Teofimo Lopez helps Gervonta Davis see the silver lining in Lamont Roach Jr. draw

During the Fatal Fury press conference in New York, FightHype.com caught up with Teofimo Lopez for a quick chat. The reporter asked him how he sees a potential showdown between Tank Davis and Shakur Stevenson turning out. Without missing a beat, he stated, “I still think Gervonta will win against Shakur. Technically, I just think like that.” He believes in the Baltimore native’s in-ring skills and power.

Supporting Tank, the 21-1 boxer emphasized that this setback against Lamont Roach Jr. was exactly what Tank needed. “All of this was needed for Gervonta,” he declared, suggesting that Davis had been resting on his laurels. However, after this hit, according to Lopez, Tank will be more careful going forward. So who won, in his opinion, on March 1? “To be honest, for the name, I’ll say Tank,” the 27-year-old replied. So, what about the knee controversy? “It doesn’t really matter. It’s boxing business guys,” he added.

But while the Takeover thinks that, the unified super middleweight champion and the current face of boxing sees things differently.

Top Comment by Humanitarianist

I watched the fight, and I don’t think, obviously speaking, that light and weak jab was that powerful enough to...more

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Debate

Did Gervonta Davis get special treatment? Canelo Alvarez thinks so

Canelo Alvarez, who recently inked a four-fight deal with His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, sat down for an interview with Peter Rosenberg of Hot 97 yesterday. The conversation covered his upcoming bouts and his new partnership with HE Turki Alalshikh. But amid all the buzz, Rosenberg seized the moment to ask about the controversial March 1st fight in Brooklyn. “Did Gervonta Davis take a knee, and should he have been deducted a point?” Rosenberg asked. The Mexican champion replied, “He take a knee, you need to lose like 10-8 that round at least.”

The 34-year-old also pointed out, “The corner, he go up and put the towel in the face, that’s disqualification, for sure.” According to boxing rules, if a fighter’s corner intervenes mid-round without the referee’s approval, it’s grounds for disqualification. So, when Calvin Ford jumped in to wipe Tank’s face, it could very well be seen as outside interference.

With 62 wins under his belt, Canelo made it clear that his take on the matter wasn’t about favoritism—it was about playing by the book. “I am talking about the rules,” the Guadalajara native emphasized. With that said, do you agree with Teofimo Lopez or Canelo Alvarez? Do let us know your thoughts below.