Photos: Rolly Romero Stops Ismael Barroso in Controversial Fashion

Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas – For the vacant WBA junior welterweight title, Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero (15-1, 12 KOs) had to get off the floor to score a controversial stoppage of Ismael Barroso (24-4-2, 22 KOs) in the ninth round. (photos by Esther Lin)

Both were showing respect in the first and feeling each other out. Barroso began to apply the pressure in the final minute. Romero was doing a lot of moving in the second round and sticking out a jab to keep Barroso at bay.

Romero continued to move a lot in the third. Not much was connecting for either boxer. Barroso charged in with shots, but Romero tied him up. But then a moment later a solid left hand dropped Romero at the end of the round.

In the fourth, it was Romero who came out pressuring and looking turn the tide. Romero began to open up more after getting tagged by another left. They traded punches when Barroso charged in in the closing moments. The fifth saw a solid exchange of punches as Barroso was pressing forward. Romero continued to move and was tagged by another big left hand. 

The sixth saw Barroso starting to more often to the body from mid-range. Barroso landed another big left when they traded punches. The seventh saw Romero land more often when Barroso tried to come inside. Romero was moving often to keep Barroso lunging to land.

In the eight, Barroso was pressuring for most the round and keeping Romero on the move for the whole round. During the ninth, Barroso was rocked by a two punch combination and was pushed down, but it counted as a knockdown. Barroso got up on unsteady legs and Romero was going for the finish. Barroso was fighting back, with the two were exchanging punches against the ropes. For whatever reason, referee Tony Weeks jumped in and waved off the fight – handing a TKO win to Romero.