NEW YORK — The old boxing axiom that states there are no timeouts in this unforgiving game typically applies to fighters themselves.
Gervonta Davis definitely broke boxing’s rules early in the ninth round of his WBA lightweight title bout Saturday night, when he turned away from Lamont Roach, took a knee, stuck his head between the ropes and allowed co-trainer Calvin Ford to wipe an obstructive substance from his eyes that never should’ve been applied to his hair in the days before a fight. Referee Steve Willis, as the boxing world well knows by now, should’ve taken a point from Davis, who would’ve lost a split decision to Roach had that happened.