Showtime Boxing results, highlights: Rolando Romero scores controversial TKO of Ismael Barroso to earn title

Romero himself was surprised at referee Tony Weeks' decision to wave off the action when he did

Rolando "Rolly" Romero may have been the recipient of one of the greatest bailouts in boxing history on Saturday night when he was blatantly gifted a ninth-round TKO against Ismael Barroso to win the vacant WBA junior welterweight title.

Romero had been outboxed throughout the fight, taking a passive offensive approach against the 40-year-old, late-replacement opponent. As Barroso picked up rounds on the scorecards, Romero's need to find some late magic was only amplified when he was dropped by a Barroso left hand in the third round.

Barroso continued to find success with left hands to both the body and head as the rounds ticked by. Romero seemed uninterested in countering or really engaging offensively in most rounds, allowing Barroso's steady, though not dynamic, attack to pile up rounds on unofficial and official cards alike.