Gervonta 'Tank' Davis blamed getting his hair braided two days before his championship fight against Lamont Roach Jr. and the grease that held his locks in place for not allowing him to unleash his full potential. 

Roach and Davis fought to a majority draw, the first blemish in the WBA lightweight champion's career. One judge scored the bout two points in favor of Davis, while the other two scored it 114-114.  

A rematch is likely the next bout for the combatants, with the DC area natives possibly wanting round two back in New York later this year. Roach however expressed an interest with his profile raised in getting the rematch closer to home. 

Arguably the critical moment of the fight saw Davis go to a knee in the ninth round with the champion escaping a knock down according to referee Steve Willis. 

Roach may have only not been granted a knock down due to it being a voluntary knee, not directly from any punch, that caused Davis to leave his feet. 

The grease from his hair appointment was Davis went to his knee, with some wondering why an automatic 8-count wasn't applied.  

The domino effect of a knockdown could have tilted the fight Roach's way and earned him the world title, as opposed to possibly getting another chance later in 2025. 

As soon as the first judges' score was announced, the crowd had resigned to a successful title defense for Davis, with everyone, including the combatants shocked by the controversial decision. 

'I just got my hair done two days ago and she put grease in my s***, when you sweatin' and things like that, the grease came in my face, it burnt my eyes,' Davis said. 

Davis not giving credit to Roach elicited boos from the Brooklyn crowd.   

'Damn, why y'all booing like I'm saying bulls****, like this is real facts. C'mon man, look at my hair, I just got my s*** done.'

Roach blamed the referee not counting Davis going to a knee as the difference in the fight. 

'If that’s a knockdown, I win the fight. I’m a little disappointed in the decision, I thought I pulled it out. I definitely thought I won. We can run it back. It’s a win for me in my book but we’re not satisfied with that, we need a real W.'

'It should have been a knockdown. If that was knockdown, I win the fight. He’s saying grease got in his eye, but if he takes a knee and the ref starts counting, it should be a knockdown. It is what it is. I’m not banking on that knockdown to win. I just thought I pulled it out.'

After the fight, both men were interviewed inside the ring and expressed their interest in a rematch, as well as how the judges should have given them the win.

Many in boxing thought Roach was a transitional opponent for Davis, as a bigger fight against Shakur Stevenson appeared to be looming later in 2025. 

It was the fourth fight for Davis inside Barclays Center, winning each of the previous three title fights by knockout. 

On Saturday, the pro-Davis crowd started to flip to Roach mid-fight with the underdog not being intimidated in the biggest fight of his career. 

Davis' last night not to end with him knocking out his opponent was in October 2014, eight fights before he became WBA Lightweight Champion.