Sports fans were incredulous on Saturday night over the stoppage by referee Tony Weeks in the WBA Super Lightweight Championship bout between Rolando Romero and Ismael Barroso at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.
Romero was declared the winner via TKO after Weeks stepped in during the ninth round to stop the fight. Those watching, including Showtime’s ringside announcers, couldn’t believe the decision.
Take a look at this:
WOW 👀
Referee Tony Weeks stops the fight and @SignUp4KOs scores a TKO victory over Barroso to become the new WBA Super Lightweight champ 🏆 #RomeroBarroso pic.twitter.com/SseQxDNoQu
— All the Smoke Boxing (@atsboxing) May 14, 2023
Barroso was leading on all three judges’ scorecards at the time of the stoppage.
Barrosso was up on all three scorecards pic.twitter.com/PAJ1kXvbaq
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) May 14, 2023
Barroso scored a knockdown in the third round, giving him a 10-8 round from all three judges.
Ismael Barroso DROPS Romero in round 3 with a left 😳#RomeroBarroso pic.twitter.com/ThKJcoUU6C
— All the Smoke Boxing (@atsboxing) May 14, 2023
After the fight, Barroso expressed his shock over Weeks’ decision.
"I think it was an injustice to stop this fight."
Ismael Barroso with strong feelings on the stoppage.#RomeroBarroso pic.twitter.com/ew9NoukLtC
— All the Smoke Boxing (@atsboxing) May 14, 2023
“I think it was an injustice to stop this fight. I was giving the best shots!” Barroso said in his postfight interview with Jim Gray.
Even Romero said he didn’t think it should have been stopped.
.@SignUp4KOs says the fight shouldn't have been stopped 😮#RomeroBarroso pic.twitter.com/v09Uj5fT9P
— All the Smoke Boxing (@atsboxing) May 14, 2023
Barroso had gone down in the 9th round, but that appeared to be due to a push.
.@SignUp4KOs comes back with a knockdown of his own in round 9 💥👀#RomeroBarroso pic.twitter.com/YHwjkkvyd6
— All the Smoke Boxing (@atsboxing) May 14, 2023
Romero, 27, improves to 14-1 (12 KOs) with the win. The 40-year-old Barroso drops to 24-3-2 with the stoppage lost.
