Showtime’s Stephen Espinoza called it a bad stoppage. Lead commentator Al Bernstein is still tweeting about the absurdity of the finish. Champions, former champions, and trainers were universal in their disdain. 

Tony Weeks’ decision to stop the Ismael Barroso-Rolly Romero WBA jr. welterweight title fight last Saturday was about as bad as it gets. 

In a fight he was winning by a large margin on two of three official cards, and narrowly on the third, Barroso suffered a mis-called knockdown in the ninth before an exchange of blows later in the round broke out. Of note in the exchange, the best clean punch landed came from Barroso. Barroso went into the ropes at one point (replay showed him off balance evading a missing punch). Sensing distress that was ultimately an illusion, Weeks made a decision that was hard to fathom.

People make mistakes. Mistakes of this magnitude demand response. More on that below. 

Getting back to the fight, round nine wasn’t tremendously different from the rest of the fight. It was certainly a better round for Romero, who looked confused and amateurish for much of the night. For all Romero is still learning on the fly, he possesses a punch and quick hands that keeps opponent’s respect. Barroso fought a lower volume, controlled contest, focusing on shots to the body and countering opportunities upstairs. Even in the ninth, Barroso was letting Romero create openings for him.

It was working. Barroso scored a real knockdown in the third and nothing happening in the ninth indicated the fight was genuinely slipping away.

Much is made of the too-many belts in boxing, but their value both sentimental and economic is tangible. Barroso, at age 40, was within spitting distance of a life-altering win. A belt means future paydays. 

Barroso’s lack of a fair finish in chasing a belt should still mean at least one more.

Futures: There are a few options that could be pursued for Barroso in the wake of Saturday’s injustice. The Nevada State Athletic Commission could suck it up and admit their official blew it just as badly as everyone knows he did. Could the result be changed to a “No Contest.” This seems highly unlikely but it's the right thing to do. Romero didn’t earn that TKO win.

It was a big break for a guy who has had his share in a still-nascent career. Romero was lucky, really lucky, to get a decision win over Jackson Marinez, staying in line for a Gervonta Davis payday. He hung around with a Davis who wisely waited for the opening he knew Romero would give him before “Tank” leveled him in a fight that wasn’t as competitive as it looked. Now Romero has a belt in one of boxing’s most talented weight classes on the basis of an atrocious call.

That’s not his fault. Romero was trying to win fair and square and might yet have done so. He got screwed too on Saturday. There will be fans who hold this outcome, and previous good fortune, against him for something that was out of his control. 

To Romero’s favor, his post-fight interview was about as good as could be hoped. He didn’t like the stoppage either and hit almost every note he could have in his position…but then his attention turned to hopes for a Davis rematch or pay-per-view showdown with Ryan Garcia. The one thing he didn’t seem keyed in on was the only thing that makes this right if the official verdict stands.

The WBA can weigh in. They should order an immediate rematch. Barroso’s reward for being the victim on Saturday should be another payday and opportunity immediately. Maybe Barroso can repeat that performance against Romero. Maybe Romero can improve (and there’s plenty of room for that). If Romero has better options, let him pursue them without a title. Sanctioning bodies sometimes do the right thing.

There is only one right thing here. 

Readers who agree can let the WBA know what they think via their contact page: https://www.wbaboxing.com/contact-us#.ZGLiES-B23k

Readers who would also like to ask the Nevada State Athletic Commission to weigh in can do that here: https://boxing.nv.gov/contact/Contact_Us/             

Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene, a founding member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, a member of the International Boxing Research Organization, and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com