Laborious-hitting Rolando “Rolly’’ Romero fulfilled his lifelong dream of profitable a world championship because the native Las Vegan recorded a ninth-round TKO towards No. 1 contender Ismael Barroso trailing on all three judges’ scorecards to seize the vacant WBA Tremendous Light-weight World Title on Saturday dwell on SHOWTIME from The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas headlining a Premier Boxing Champions occasion.
A yr after he final stepped into the ring and suffered the primary lack of his profession, Romero’s arms have been raised as “the brand new” world champion. The 27-year-old survived a third-round knockdown and got here again at hand the 40-year-old Barroso (24-4-2, 22 KOs) a shocking defeat on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® as many thought the battle was stopped prematurely by referee Tony Weeks, who waved off the competition at 2:41 of the ninth spherical.
“I’ll be sincere, he’s a warrior and he ought to have been allowed to proceed,” mentioned Romero, who improved to 15-1 with 13 KOs and have become the 89th fighter to carry out on SHOBOX: The New Era to go onto seize a world title. “He wished to maintain going and I wished him to maintain going as effectively.”
In his first battle at 140 kilos, Romero landed a strong, pushing left hook that despatched Barroso to the canvas within the ninth and when the battle resumed each fighters traded punches with Romero connecting on a strong proper, however lacking on a left hook earlier than Weeks stepped in and known as the battle.
“The primary punch was once I had him harm to start with,” Romero mentioned. “It was proper on the nostril, it was a bit of clip.”
On the time of the stoppage, Romero was down on all three scorecards: 78-73, 77-74, 76-75.
“I feel it was an injustice to cease the battle,” mentioned Barroso, a late substitute after Alberto Puello, who beforehand held the WBA 140-pound title, had been stripped of his title due to a failed VADA check. “I used to be touchdown the higher pictures. It was a push on the primary knockdown. It wasn’t a giant blow or something. The referee simply stopped the battle, and he didn’t say something. You’ll be able to see it clearly. I’m the one who’s hitting him. There was nothing clear that he hit me with. I don’t perceive why they stopped the battle.”
Barroso outlanded Romeo, 57-40, and threw 297 punches to 230 for Romero.
Romero was dropped by a robust Barroso left hand within the waning seconds of the third spherical as Romero touched the canvas for simply the second time of his profession as he was additionally knocked out by a Gervonta Davis left in his final battle a yr in the past.
“I boxed all the time,” mentioned Romero, who grew to become the second Las Vegas native to win a world title together with Ishe Smith. “I got here in a bit of chilly. I bought cracked and I bought up like a champion and saved going.”
Romero was clear about his future intentions after the battle. “There’s solely two fights I would like,” he mentioned. “There’s the rematch with Tank Davis. However I feel there’s a a lot larger choice. I wish to go after Ryan Garcia. We will do it on Showtime PPV.”
Within the co-main occasion, Rances Barthelemy (30-2-1, 15 KOs) bounced again from a stoppage loss final July to Gary Antuanne Russell to select up an unpopular majority resolution towards Omar Juarez (14-2, 5 KOs) in a brilliant light-weight bout. The previous world champion at 130 and 135 kilos, Cuba’s Barthelemy began rapidly and ended it the identical manner as he received the primary and second spherical and the ninth and tenth rounds on all three judges’ playing cards. The scores have been 95-95, 97-93 and 98-92 in favor of Barthelemy.
The group at The Chelsea rained down boos after the choice was learn as many thought that Juarez had completed sufficient to win the battle. “I perceive that many of the followers are Mexican right here they usually have been going for Juarez,” Barthelemy mentioned. “However I additionally had my Cuban followers they usually have been cheering.”
It was an in depth battle primarily based on the punch stats with Barthelemy profitable the facility punch class decidedly, 49% to 33%. “I attempted to win this battle intelligently with my brains towards a younger fighter and that’s what I did,” Barthelemy mentioned.
Barthelemy mentioned he would love nothing greater than a rematch with Russell. “I desire a rematch much more than a title shot,” he mentioned. “I would like that rematch with Gary Antuanne Russell. I would like it badly.”
The 23-year-old Juarez had his three-fight profitable streak halted. “It’s what it’s,” he mentioned. “I actually thought I did sufficient to win, however all That’s left is hold working exhausting for subsequent time. My one mistake was not staying on prime of him. I ought to have been extra aggressive.”
Within the telecast opener, Kenneth Sims Jr., (20-2-1, 7 KOs) moved one step nearer to a primary world title shot as he out-dueled fellow prime tremendous light-weight contender Batyr Akhmedov (9-3, 8 KOs) in an exhilarating WBA Tremendous Light-weight World Title Eliminator that resulted in a majority resolution in favor of Sims, 116-112, 115-113 and 114-114. After the decision was learn by Jimmy Lennon Jr., Sims collapsed to the canvas after which sobbed into his father and coach Kenneth Sims Sr.’s, chest following the most important win of the 29-year-old’s profession.
The Chicago-born Sims now coaching in Las Vegas and the Los Angeles resident and Uzbekistan’s Akhmedov mixed to land 640 punches, essentially the most to this point in 2023.
“That is what I’ve been ready on for years,” mentioned Sims, who received for the seventh straight battle. “I’m not speculated to be right here proper now. That’s what they are saying. Ain’t no one thought I might be right here proper now. And I do know that I’m one of the best so at 140 it’s no matter. I’m prepared for anybody.”
Akhmedov landed 331 punches to 309 for Sims within the shut contest. Sims landed 46% of his energy punches, in comparison with an equally spectacular 40% for Akhmedov. Within the championship rounds, Sims landed 87 energy punches to Akhmedov’s 82.
Each fighters continued to push the tempo getting into the tenth spherical with Sims’ struggling swelling round his proper eye that closed up because the all-action battle concluded.
“That is what I anticipated,” mentioned Sims, whose solely two profession losses got here on SHOBOX: The New Era® prospect collection. “That is what I anticipated of him however I’m a savage. I’m a canine. I’ve that canine in me. And that’s what I used to be saying throughout this entire time main as much as this that I had that canine in me and I used to be going to indicate them. My eye wasn’t bothering me. I don’t care. Like I mentioned, ‘I’m a savage.’ I don’t care.
“I would like the winner of the principle occasion. I would like that title. That’s it. Whoever wins the principle occasion that’s who I would like.”
Akhmedov thought he received the battle after struggling one other shut loss on the judges’ playing cards. His earlier two losses have been additionally slim defeats on factors. “It’s like each time I don’t cease my opponent it’s like they win,” he mentioned. “It looks like it’s a aim towards me. In the event that they attain the twelfth spherical it’s like they already received they usually’re already celebrating as a result of the judges give it to them. Take a look at the punch stats. It’s the third time in a row. I received once more. I’m profitable rounds, I’m throwing extra, I’m hurting him extra. He’s surviving seven rounds out of 12.”
Previous to the telecast, motion streaming dwell on the SHOWTIME SPORTS YouTube channel and SHOWTIME Boxing Fb web page noticed Starling Castillo (18-1-1, 13 KOs) hand tremendous light-weight prospect Esteuri “El Puma” Suero (12-1, 9 KOs) his first professional loss in a weird 10-round unanimous resolution victory. Castillo received on all three scorecards, 94-93 and 95-92 twice, and benefitted from Suero being penalized three factors, together with two in spherical 10 for biting Castillo on the shoulder. Rising bantamweight prospect Michael Angeletti (8-0, 7 KOs) from New Orleans knocked down Venezuela’s Michell Banquez (20-4, 14 KOs) and referee Chris Flores stepped in to cease the bout a minute later incomes Angeletti the TKO within the eighth and remaining spherical at 1:15 of the body. With a big contingent of supporters in attendance, Justin Viloria (2-0, 2 KO) received his second battle since turning professional final month because the 18-year-old from Whittier regarded stable in a fourth-round TKO stoppage (1:41) towards Colombian Pedro Pinillo (5-2, 5 KOs) in a scheduled six-round tremendous featherweight bout.
The occasion was promoted by Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions.
Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast will replay Sunday, Might 14 at 8:30 a.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME and Tuesday, Might 16 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME®.
