WBA (regular) Lightweight Champion Gervonta Davis and interim WBA Lightweight Champion Rolando Romero finally shared the boxing ring inside Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
“I didn’t even throw that hard.”@Gervontaa 😬 💪 | #DavisRomero pic.twitter.com/IA7SH1sfqB
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) May 29, 2022
In what was a heated buildup to the fight, it all came to a close with Gervonta Tank Davis getting the last laugh. With the victory, Davis extended his undefeated streak to 27-0. Meanwhile, Romero (14-1) suffered the first loss of his professional boxing career.
Gervonta Davis knocks out Rolando Romero to retain his WBA (Regular) Lightweight Championship
Rolando Romero and Gervonta Davis started really slow, with both the boxers using the first round for the feeling-out process. There were no significant punches exchanged, but Romero did connect a right hand at the closing moments of the first round.
Davis could be seen screaming at Romero, a jibe at the latter’s claim of knocking him out in the first round. Going into the second, both the boxers had their moments. Romero landed a couple of clean shots on Davis, sending him down on the ground after an exchange during the clinch. However, the replay showed it was a push more than a knockdown.
Davis closed the round with a brutal left hand that sent Romero back. In the third round, it was once again a counter left that shocked Romero. A vicious body shot from Davis closed the round, with the Champion looking more and more comfortable.
A slugfest in the fourth round as both the boxers had their moments. Needless to say, both the boxers looked more and more confident and had their fair share of moments. A competitive round, with some great exchanges.
Fifth-round saw Davis gain a huge momentum as he connected two big left hands that almost dropped Romero. However, at one point it looked like Davis hurt his left hand as he left out a grimace in pain as Romero pounced on the Champion. Replay showed nothing significant, as Davis walked into the sixth round using the left hand which would eventually turn out to be the shot to put Rolando Romero down.
Scorecards at the time of the stoppage:
Ron McNair: 49-46 Davis
Kevin Morgan: 48-47 Romero
Robin Taylor: 48-47 Davis#DavisRomero— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) May 29, 2022
As many expected, it was a vicious left counter that sent Rolando Romero on the canvas. Davis’ power was once again on display as he connected a brutal left, leaving no doubts about his boxing prowess. Never knocked down, never defeated, Rolando Romero succumbed to his first as Gervonta Davis picked up the TKO victory to retain his WBA (Regular) lightweight championship.
GOODNIGHT BROOKLYN 😴@Gervontaa KOs Romero in round 6 with a POWER left hand 😳#DavisRomero pic.twitter.com/O9KPaxRvHi
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) May 29, 2022
Following the fight, Davis compared the TKO win to Juan Manuel Marquez’s KO win over Manny Pacquiao. Tank revealed that he didn’t throw a power punch but manny just walked onto it, akin to what happened between Marquez and Pacquiao back in 2012.