Davis ends Romero with a single left-hand counter in sixth-round KO

NEW YORK — Everyone knew Gervonta Davis had one-punch knockout power, and that's exactly what happened on Saturday.

After arguably being down on the cards, "Tank" Davis wiped out Romero with a straight left-hand counter on Rolly Romero's chin to score a sixth-round knockout victory in a Showtime-televised main event before 18,970 at Barclays Center.

Davis (27-0, 25 KOs) picked up his 17th knockout in his last 18 bouts at 2:39, with Romero (14-1, 12 KOs) standing, but in no condition to continue as referee David Fields waved off the fight.

“I was thinking as this interview was coming up and as much as I wanted to be cocky, but I want to thank Rolly. I want to thank his team. We settled it like men inside the ring. I wish him the best in the future,” said Davis, who retained his secondary WBA lightweight title for the fourth time.

There was slight drama at Friday's weigh-in after Davis bumped Romero off the stage for standing in his way during the traditional pre-fight festivities.

But by no means was this an easy fight. Romero nailed Davis in the second round with a left hand, but he answered back with a left hand of his own as Romero walked forward with his hands down.

The 26-year-old Romero (14-1, 12 KOs), of Las Vegas, continued to find success with the left hand in round three as he snuck in hooks over the top.

Romero remained awkward and dangerous in round three, jumping in with right hands that opened up the door for left hooks over the top.

Both fighters were slated to fight one another last December, but Romero was removed from the card after sexual assault allegations came to light against him. The police later declined to file charges. Isaac Cruz replaced Romero on short notice and put up a valiant effort, but lost a 12-round unanimous decision. Davis hurt his left hand during the bout, and appeared to do so again in round five against Romero, but regardless if that was the case or not, it didn't prevent him from destroying Romero in the sixth.

Davis compared his knockout punch to the fourth bout between Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny Pacquiao in December 2012, which also ended in round six when the Mexican flatlined the Filipino after his arch-nemesis got careless while the masterful counter puncher was against the ropes.

“The crazy thing is that I didn’t even throw it that hard. He just ran into it,” said Davis. “Something like when Pacquiao got caught. I didn’t even throw it that hard and he’s the one who ran into it, when he was talking that it was going to be me.”

Although Davis claimed leading up to the fight that this would be his last one with Mayweather Promotions, he told Leonard Ellerbe after the fight and to the media that he would be sticking with the company. Whether this is a short-term or a long-term commitment has yet to be divulged.