Rolando Romero TKO7 Avery Sparrow ... In the opening bout of Showtime's broadcast, Rolando Romero (13-0, 11 KOs) remained unbeaten against late replacement Avery Sparrow (10-4, 3 KOs). Romero, who holds the WBA interim lightweight belt, dominating the action until Sparrow’s corner called an end to the fight in seventh round. All three judges had the fight scored 60-51 at the time of the technical knockout, as did Showtime’s unofficial ringside scorer Steve Farhood. Romero, 25, set the tone early in the fight sending Sparrow to the canvas with a well-placed left hook within the first minute of the first round.

 

Born and bred in Las Vegas, and fighting under the Mayweather Promotions banner, Romero landed 86 of his 175 power punches which more than doubled Sparrow’s total punches landed in the fight (40). In the closing minute of the sixth round, Sparrow went down with an apparent knee injury and upon the return to action referee Johnny Callas deducted two points from Sparrow for an intentional low blow. Sparrow’s corner confirmed that Sparrow’s knee injury was the reason for stopping the fight.

 

“Sparrow had a month to prepare because he was [Showtime's designated] replacement,” said Romero [although Sparrow did not know for sure he was going tofight until Friday]. “I was very disappointed, I really wanted to fight Justin Pauldo [who was overweight and failed a physical]. But things happen—at least I had another opponent. I fought a dirty fighter. He hit me with a dozen, if not more, low blows, back of the head, trying to wrestle but it is what it is. I got the victory. I dropped him with that hook in the opening round. I thought it would be over but he’s slick – he knows how to survive. His corner did the right thing by stopping it. In that last moment before they stopped the fight, he was hurt again and there was a lot of time left in the round. He’s lucky they stopped it. source: showtime