It started as one of the most controversial boxing fights of the year, and nearly ended in court. When Gervonta Davis and Lamont Roach Jr. squared off in New York back in March, few expected the bout to ignite the kind of chaos that would leave both fighters and promoters scrambling to contain the fallout.
The fight, which ended in a majority draw, exposed new cracks in Davis‘ dominance and set the stage for what should have been a money-spinning rematch.
Instead, the storyline veered sharply off course when Davis bypassed the rematch to announce an exhibition bout with Jake Paul, leaving Roach furious and ready to take legal action.
Speaking to Ring Magazine’s Mike Coppinger, Roach said he felt blindsided by the move and believed Davis had violated their rematch clause.
“I feel a little disrespected, like just on the business aspect, because you don’t do business like that,” Roach said.
“Now, if I were to go to arbitration, then what, then [you’ve] got to pay lawyer fees, or you put your promotional company in a hole where they have to back you because technically it’s on them.”
It was a revealing moment from a fighter known for keeping things professional outside the ring. Roach had every legal right to challenge the decision – but before he could take that step, Al Haymon, the elusive head of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC), intervened to quietly settle the dispute.
Al Haymon’s behind-the-scenes move prevents another boxing feud
According to Roach, Haymon made sure he was compensated after Davis failed to follow through on the agreed-upon rematch.
“I never said this publicly, but no, we aren’t going to go to arbitration because I’m very well taken care of,” Roach explained.
“I publicly want to say thank you to Al Haymon, PBC, and everyone who made things right on his behalf. Even though he messed up on his behalf, they made things right on my end.”
The admission shed light on the often-invisible work Haymon does to manage egos, prevent disputes, and maintain stability within his stable of fighters.
A drawn-out arbitration could have not only damaged Davis‘ image but also caused major scheduling headaches for PBC, which was already preparing to promote Davis‘ highly publicized Netflix exhibition against Jake Paul.
For Roach, though, the business side of boxing has left a sour taste. He called Davis‘ decision “crazy” from a professional standpoint, arguing that skipping a contractual rematch for what he called a “circus event” undermined the integrity of the sport. “It’s just weird,” he said, summarizing his disbelief at how the situation unfolded.
Davis‘ choice to face Paul instead has drawn its own scrutiny. The fight, now set for November 14 at Miami’s Kaseya Center after a venue change, will feature 10 three-minute rounds at a 195-pound limit and include two human judges and one AI judge, a first in professional boxing.
The Florida Athletic Commission confirmed the setup in a statement that raised eyebrows across the sport, especially after AI scoring produced a controversial draw in the Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford bout earlier this year.
Meanwhile, Lamont Roach Jr. has turned the page and focused on his next challenge, a showdown with Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz for the interim WBC super lightweight title on December 6 in San Antonio. Cruz, never one to shy away from confrontation, has already issued a warning.
“I’m used to people talking before they step into the ring,” he said. “All I can say is I’m gonna show him the same way I showed Rolly.”
The comment was a pointed reminder of Cruz‘s demolition of Rolando “Rolly” Romero, a performance that reestablished him as one of the sport’s most dangerous punchers. “If you talk before the fight,” Cruz added, “then you’ll see inside the ring that trash talk goes by the wayside.”
While Cruz and Roach now prepare for their own collision course, Davis finds himself under increasing pressure to justify his choices, both inside and outside the ring. His exhibition with Paul may be lucrative, but it’s done little to quiet the criticism that he’s ducking meaningful competition.
For now, at least, Al Haymon‘s diplomacy has spared him a courtroom battle. But if Davis‘ pattern of controversy continues, not even Haymon may be able to save him next time.
Read the full article here
