Tank and Roach Battle to a Draw

By PBC Editor
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The two world champions were neck in neck throughout a spirited headliner Saturday night at Brooklyn's Barclays Center.

WBA Lightweight World Champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis (30-0-1, 28 KOs) retained his title with a 12-round majority draw against WBA Super Featherweight World Champion Lamont “The Reaper” Roach (25-1-2, 10 KOs) in the main event of a PBC Pay-Per-View event on Prime Video Saturday night from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

In a chippy, trash-talking affair between two longtime friends, 30-year-old southpaw Davis got out to an early lead on the judges’ scorecards after six and then survived a furious rally from 29-year-old Roach in the second half of the tense battle.

Davis was never able to land any of his customary fight-changing bombs against his former amateur rival and found himself taking more punches than ever before in his career, as the determined Roach found repeated success, especially with the counter right hand.

In a hotly contested fight, the combatants were separated by three or less landed punches in nine of the twelve rounds even though Roach threw 121 more punches than Davis. Davis landed 6 more power punches than Roach, while Roach landed 15 more jabs than Davis.

There was a controversial moment in round nine when Davis ate a jab and then voluntarily took a knee before going to his corner to have grease wiped from his eye. Had that voluntary knee been ruled a knockdown, two of the judges’ scorecards would have swung Roach’s way. 

Roach out-threw and slightly out-landed Davis, and closed the fight strong, out-landing Davis 16-9 in the final stanza. One judge scored the fight 115-113 for Davis, while the other two judges turned in identical 114-114 scorecards.

After the compelling fight, both combatants expressed a desire for a rematch.

“I just got my hair done two days ago and she put grease in my shit. So, the grease, when you sweat, it was coming into my face,” explained Davis. “I think I pulled it out in the last three rounds for sure. I was catching him with some clean shots. I feel I was breaking him down as the rounds were going on, but he kept coming so I didn’t want to make mistakes, and I kept it cautious.”

Asked why the fight was so competitive, Davis explained, “I made it competitive to be honest. For sure, Lamont is a great fighter. He got the skills like I said before and the punching power. It was a lesson learned. Shout out to Lamont Roach and his whole team. Hopefully we can run it back in New York. If not, all the best to Lamont Roach and his whole team.”

“I’m a little disappointed in the decision,” said Roach after the fight. “I thought I pulled it out. That’s what two skilled fighters do, go in there and show off their crafts. I definitely thought I won but we can run it back.”

Roach said despite being the underdog, he wasn’t surprised that much of the action seemed to be going his way. “This is every day for me. I ain’t gonna lie. I’m cut like this. I’ve been one of the ones, and I came out here and showed it. Gervonta is a great fighter. I thank him for the opportunity to show all the people that were doubting me, all the fake boxing media and fans talking shit. The script got flipped upside down. Even though I didn’t win tonight, I thought I did, but it’s a win for me in my book, but we are not satisfied with that. We need a real W.”

Roach also said the controversial non-knockdown in the ninth round should have been ruled differently. “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. I want to run it back for sure. I hope you all enjoyed yourself. Thanks for loving me and thanks for hating me. I’ll be back on the grand stage again, where I belong.” 

After the fight, it was revealed that Roach needed to win the final round on two judges’ cards to pull out the majority draw.

Saturday night’s Gervonta Davis vs. Lamont Roach Premier Boxing Champions event at Barclays Center has not only set the all-time attendance record in the arena’s history but has ALSO become the second-highest grossing event of all time for the Brooklyn venue. Davis also broke his attendance record for a boxing event at Barclays Center, with a sold-out crowd of 19,250, eclipsing his previous record set in May 2022 when he scored a high-light reel KO of Rolando Romero.

Russell dominates Valenzuela to win world title

In the co-main event, Gary Antuanne Russell (18-1, 17 KOs) cruised to a unanimous 12-round decision to win his first world championship by dethroning now-former WBA Super Lightweight World Champion José “Rayo” Valenzuela (14-3, 9 KOs).

The 28-year-old Russell admitted to feeling offended by Valenzuela’s pre-fight contention that he was “nothing special,” and, as promised, came out firing from the opening bell with speed, power in both hands and an unrelenting pressure, which allowed him to dominate the action while effectively muting Valenzuela’s usual offensive fireworks in return.

After five clear rounds for Russell to begin the action, Valenzuela’s corner implored him to pick up the aggression after round six, but the 25-year-old’s attempt to initiate more exchanges left him briefly stunned by an uppercut and follow-up hook from Russell late in round seven.

A left-right combination appeared to stun Valenzuela again in round eight and lumped up his right eye.

Russell turned up his aggression in round nine, as he battered Valenzuela around the ring with both hands throughout the stanza and outlanded him 20-4 in power punches. The ringside physician elected to have a look at the champion before the start of round 10 and again before rounds 11 and 12.

Valenzuela’s trainer, Robert Garcia, implored him not to come out for the final round, but the now-former champion refused. To his credit, Valenzuela was able to send Russell’s mouthpiece flying with a hook in the final frame.

Russell overwhelmed Valenzuela, throwing 957 punches and landing 252. Russell averaged 80 punches thrown and 21 punches landed per round. Valenzuela averaged 37 and 11 respectively. Valenzuela was never in the fight as reflected by the judges’ scores: 119-109, 119-109, and 120-108- all for Russell.

“I want to thank god,” said Russell, post-fight. “This is a small steppingstone. I’m going for the rest of the belts. I love y’all for supporting us. Thank you for making this arena a grand arena. I did it for DC and my family. We onto the next!”

When asked about the secret of his success, Russell said, “A rule of thumb in my profession is you have to follow instructions. My brother always told me, the difference between great and good is inches or centimeters and the ability to produce, because that what it takes.”

Alluding to being called nothing special, Russell claimed the perceived sleight added more fuel to the fire. “It motivated me a hell of a lot,” he said. “In this sport, you have to be dominant. You have to have a mentality that is rough, and he brought it out of me. I had the right dance partner in front of me and I’m glad he gave me the opportunity. I told him to keep that same energy because I’m bringing it in the ring.

“My father would be proud of me,” he concluded. “This is a steppingstone. This is a marathon. In a marathon, you come across the table with some water, but that’s just a pitstop so you can keep going to the next. I’m coming!”

"It just wasn't my night tonight,” said a disappointed Valenzuela. “His speed got to me a little bit, and I was slow on my feet. No excuses, I have to make adjustments. I have to go back to the drawing board now, come out stronger from this and bounce back like I know I can."

Puello outpoints Martin to retain title

Pay-per-view action also saw WBC World Super Lightweight Champion Alberto “La Avispa” Puello (24-0, 10 KOs) of the Dominican Republic defend his title with a close 12-round split decision over Spain’s Sandor Martin (42-4, 15 KOs).

Martin immediately started the all-southpaw battle by coming forward, applying pressure, and was able to land several effective punches to the head and body of the undefeated champion.

The 31-year-old Martin complained to trainer Rafael Martin he was seeing double out of his right eye after round two, but seemingly unhindered, came out firing extended barrages of hard punches in an exciting round three.

Normally a difficult stylistic puzzle to solve, Puello was able to land the occasional counterpunch against Martin but continued to seem uncomfortable with the Spaniard’s free-swinging aggression and effective defensive movement throughout much of the middle rounds.

Making adjustments, 30-year-old Puello began to find more success in round eight, landing sharp counters and letting his hands go more often with quick combinations on a slowly fading Martin. Puello appeared to briefly hurt Martin with a left to the body in round 11.

Martin suffered a cut on his right eye during a closely contested final round, ultimately scored in Puello’s favor by all three judges.

A closely fought contest throughout, the combatants were separated by three or fewer landed punches in nine of the twelve rounds. Puello landed 36 more jabs than Martin, while Martin landed 48 more power punches than Puello. Martin had a 86-43 edge in body punches landed. One judge scored the fight 115-113 for Martin, while the other two judges scored the fight 115-113 and 116-112 for Puello.

Yoenis Tellis breaks through, beating Julian Williams for interim world title

Opening up the pay-per-view, fast-rising Cuban slugger Yoenis “El Bandolero” Tellez (10-0, 7 KOs) showed a veteran’s patience and poise while dominating former IBF World Super Welterweight Champion Julian “J Rock” Williams (29-5-1, 17 KOs) via 12-round unanimous decision to win the interim WBA Super Welterweight Championship.

The more experienced 34-year-old Williams was able to stifle much of the offense of his 24-year-old foe, especially in the first half of the fight, by using constant motion and picking his spots, but couldn’t muster enough of his own offense to sway the momentum.

Unfazed, Tellez upped the pressure beginning in round seven and was able to lump up Williams’ face with thudding hooks and uppercuts, while also sinking several hooks to the body. Williams was cut over the left eye in round three and was forced to visit the ringside physician for a check of his facial damage before round 11.

Williams, who was coming off a 13-month layoff, fought competitively and never appeared to be seriously hurt, but was bested by Tellez in every stat category tracked by CompuBox.

Tellez connected on 30% of his jabs and 44% of his power punches, while limiting Williams to connecting on 27% of his punches. Tellez also landed 47 more body punches than Williams.

The judges scored the fight 118-110, 117-111, and 119-109- all for Tellez.

***

Preceding the pay-per-view, a three-fight PBC on Prime Video preliminary lineup was topped by a 10-round middleweight bout that may have been the final ring appearance of 34-year-old former IBF World Super Welterweight Champion "Swift" Jarrett Hurd (25-4-1, 17 KOs) of Accokeek, MD, as he suffered a split-decision loss to Venezuelan power puncher Johan “The Chelo Manotas” González (36-4, 34 KOs). 

Utilizing roughhouse tactics and finding frequent success with a powerful looping right hand, González outworked and roughed up Hurd in the majority of rounds. Hurd started complaining early on about Gonzalez leading with his head, and referee Charlie Fitch was convinced to issue a strong warning for González in round seven. However, Hurd appeared to not have the reflexes needed to answer his opponent’s harder shots effectively.

The scores were 96-94 and 98-92 for González, which overruled the remaining judge’s decision of 96-94 in favor of Hurd. 

“Listen man, God is good and both fighters made it out healthy,” said Hurd, fighting back tears post-fight. “This was my first time fighting someone with three arms, but I’m a man of my word. This will be the last time you all will see me. Thank you for the love and support. I had a wonderful career.”

In a six-round welterweight battle between undefeated prospects, 19-year-old David “The Bodysnatcher” Whitmire (9-0, 6 KOs) prevailed with a clear, but competitive, unanimous decision over 22-year-old Ángel “Machete” Muñoz (7-1, 5 KOs) as all three judges scored the fight 60-54 in favor of Whitmore. In an active battle throughout, the pair threw over 800 combined punches. However, Whitmire used his three-inch reach advantage, educated jab and powerful two-handed salvos to the body to control the action.

Kicking off the livestream, undefeated Deric “Scooter” Davis (6-0, 6 KOs) displayed his power by knocking out Jamal Johnson (2-1, 1 KO) in the first round. The 22-year-old from Fort Washington, MD, dropped the undefeated, but outgunned, Johnson twice with sharp left hooks in the opening round, with the second knockdown being enough to convince referee Ricky Gonzalez to stop the fight at 1:56.

For a closer look at Tank vs Roach, check out our fight night page. 

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