After the March 1st fight in Brooklyn, who do you think took the biggest L? At first glance, you might say Gervonta Davis—after all, he came dangerously close to watching his WBA Lightweight title slip through his fingers while having a draw added to his pristine clean record. But some of you might argue it was actually Lamont Roach Jr. who took the hardest hit. Think about it—not only did the fight end in a draw, robbing him of a chance to call himself a two-division champion, but his team’s appeal to the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) went absolutely nowhere. Talk about adding insult to injury. So, between Tank and Roach, who won and who lost? Honestly, it’s hard to say. But one thing’s for sure—Gervonta Davis walked away with his WBA title. That must count for a win, right?

If you thought all the controversy would die down once NYSAC shot down Roach’s appeal, think again. Instead of settling the debate, it only fueled more arguments. Fans were sure the scorecards should’ve looked different, but one former unified welterweight champion sees things differently.

Why Gervonta Davis gets a free pass

Keith Thurman is just two days away from stepping into the ring with Brock Jarvis at Hordern Pavilion in Sydney. But before the fight, he sat down with FightHype.com for an interview—and, as always, One Time had plenty to say. At first, the conversation was all about his sharp boxing mind, with the reporter praising his ability to break down potential fights. Naturally, that led to a discussion about Gervonta Davis and Shakur Stevenson. But then, things took a turn when they started speaking on the controversial March 1 fight. When the issue of the scorecards and subsequent appeal came up, Thurman kept it real. “Don’t leave it up to the judges,” he said bluntly. “And if you’re fighting a champion, you got to beat the champion.”

This is a very commonly held belief among old-school boxers who think that unless a champion is defeated decisively, you cannot call yourself a true champion. Remember the Sugar Ray Leonard-Marvin Hagler controversy? Keith Thurman put forth a similar notion. “The champion gets extra credit. You get no credit… The champion gets all the credit, okay. The challenger gets no credit,” he explained. Which means? If you’re the challenger, close rounds will almost always go to the champion. That’s just how it is. If you want to win, you can’t leave any doubt.

Even though Thurman argued that scoring the knockdown in the ninth round could have tilted the decision in Roach’s favor, it just wasn’t enough. According to him, it fell in that “grey line.” So what about the NYSAC appeal that Roach’s team made? “Do you want that to be how the fight was won?” Keith Thurman asked. In other words, if the only way you can win is through a controversial ruling or a technicality, do you really want that kind of victory?

However, Thurman pointed out that Tank caught a lucky break during the fight. “Tank got lucky that dropping to a kneee didn’t take a point…. Hey, Tank got some good luck right there. Sometimes you need it. It is what it is,” he added. So what’s the solution? A rematch. “I think if it’s a good fight, they should run it back. Make more money. Let the fans see who really wins,” advised the 36-year-old. And is that what the fighters want, too? Yes.

Lamont Roach Jr. ready to gamble 250K on the rematch

2 days after the Brooklyn fight night, Gervonta Davis announced his desire for a rematch. Taking to X, he stated, “The rematch can be soon too.. like end of May.” And Lamont Roach Jr.? The 25-1 boxer was confident he’d bring “the heat” against Tank in a rematch as well.

So, with his NYSAC appeal denied and frustration mounting, Roach hopped on X and dropped two words that said it all: “Part 2.” It’s clear he wants that rematch just as much as the Baltimore native does. And he’s not just talking—he’s willing to put money on it. After getting into a heated exchange with Lorenzo “Truck” Simpson, Roach took things up a notch: “Yea 250K just like I bet your role model… if you can show it to me we good money lil ni**a,” he commented sending forth a challenge to finish the task that he had earlier set out to do.

With that said, do you agree with Keith Thurman? Should Roach have dealt a more decisive defeat to Gervonta Davis to call himself a winner?