Rolando Romero won the WBA Super Lightweight Title with a controversial ninth round stoppage over late-replacement Ismael Barroso at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.
In round three, Barroso landed a straight left that sent Romero into the ropes and his gloved touched the canvas for a knockdown.
In round nine, Romero landed a right that staggered Barroso and then put him down with a cuffing right. Later in the round, the two were exchanging in the corner, and referee Tony Weeks for reasons beyond comprehension, stopped the fight at 2:41.
Romero, 139.5 lbs of Las Vegas is now 15-1 with 13 knockouts. Barroso, 139.5 lbs of Miami was a later replacement for reigning champion Alberto Puello, is now 24-4-2.
Puello failed a PED test several weeks ago.
“I’ll be honest, he’s a warrior and he should have been allowed to continue,” said Romero, who improved to 15-1 with 13 KOs and became the 89th fighter to perform on SHOBOX: The New Generation to go onto capture a world title. “He wanted to keep going and I wanted him to keep going as well.”
“The first punch was when I had him hurt to begin with,” Romero said. “It was right on the nose, it was a little clip.”
“I think it was an injustice to stop the fight,” said Barroso, a late replacement after Alberto Puello,who previously held the WBA 140-pound title, had been stripped of his title because of a failed VADA test. “I was landing the better shots. It was a push on the first knockdown. It wasn’t a big blow or anything. The referee just stopped the fight, and he didn’t say anything. You can see it clearly. I’m the one who’s hitting him. There was nothing clear that he hit me with. I don’t understand why they stopped the fight.”
“I boxed the entire time,” said Romero, who became the second Las Vegas native to win a world title along with Ishe Smith. “I came in a little cold. I got cracked and I got up like a champion and kept going.”
Romero was clear about his future intentions after the fight. “There’s only two fights I want,” he said. “There’s the rematch with Tank Davis. But I think there’s a much bigger option. I want to go after Ryan Garcia. We can do it on Showtime PPV.”
Rances Barthelemy Decisions Omar Juarez
Rances Barthelemy won a 10-round majority decision over Omar Juarez in a junior welterweight bout.
Barthelemy landed 96 of 448 punches. Juarez was 101 of 428.
Barthelemy, 142.5 lbs of Las Vegas won by scores of 98-92, 97-93 and 95-95 and is now 30-2-1. Juarez, 142.25 lbs of rownsville, TX is 14-2.
The crowd at The Chelsea rained down boos after the decision was read as many thought that Juarez had done enough to win the fight. “I understand that most of the fans are Mexican here and they were going for Juarez,” Barthelemy said. “But I also had my Cuban fans and they were cheering.”
Barthelemy said he would love nothing more than a rematch with Russell. “I want a rematch even more than a title shot,” he said. “I want that rematch with Gary Antuanne Russell. I want it badly.”
The 23-year-old Juarez had his three-fight winning streak halted. “It is what it is,” he said. “I honestly thought I did enough to win, but all That’s left is keep working hard for next time. My one mistake was not staying on top of him. I should have been more aggressive.”
Sims Jr. Decisions Akhmedov in Thrilling Fight
Kenneth Sims Jr. outlasted former world title challenger Batyr Akhmedov by taking a 12-round majority decision in a junior welterweight Elimination bout.
The two traded hard shots throughout the high-punch count affair. Sims fought that few rounds with a closed right eye.
Sims landed 309 of 832 punches. Akhmedov landed 331 of 933.
Sims, 139.25 lbs of Chicago won by scores of 116-112, 115-113 and 114-114 and is now 20-2-1. Akhmedov, 138.75 lbs of Las Angeles is 9-3.
“This is what I’ve been waiting on for years,” said Sims, who won for the seventh straight fight. “I’m not supposed to be here right now. That’s what they say. Ain’t nobody thought I would be here right now. And I know that I’m the best so at 140 it’s whatever. I’m ready for anyone.”
“I want the winner of the main event. I want that title. That’s it. Whoever wins the main event that’s who I want.”
Akhmedov thought he won the fight after suffering another close loss on the judges’ cards. His previous two losses were also narrow defeats on points. “It’s like every time I don’t stop my opponent it’s like they win,” he said. “It seems like it’s a goal against me. If they reach the 12th round it’s like they already won and they’re already celebrating because the judges give it to them. Look at the punch stats. It’s the third time in a row. I won again. I’m winning rounds, I’m throwing more, I’m hurting him more. He’s surviving seven rounds out of 12.”
Starling Castillo took a hard fought 10-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Esteuri Suero in a super lightweight fight.
In round nine, Suero was deducted a point for holding. In round 10, Suero was cited for the same infraction.
That was the difference as Castillo won by scores of 95-92 twice and 94-93 and is now 18-1-1. Suero, 139.2 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR os 12-1.
Michael Angeletti stopped Michell Bonquez in round eight of their eight-round bantamweight bout.
In round eight, Angeletti dropped Boxquez when he landed a two rights that was followed by a left. With Bonquez hurt, Angeletti followed up with a hard combination and the fight end the fight was stopped.
Angeletti, 118.2 lbs of Spring, TX 8-0 with seven Bonquez, 118.8 lbs of Fort Lauderdale, FL is 20-4.
18 year-old Justin Viloria stopped Pedro Pinillo in round four of their six-round super featherweight bout.
Viloria pounded Pinillo until the bout was stopped in round four.
Viloria, 127.6 lbs of Whittier, CA is the nephew of former world champion Brian Viloria. Viloria is 2-0 with two knockouts. Pinillo, 129.2 lbs of Cali, COL is 5-2.