On Saturday, veteran boxing referee Tony Weeks is under fire over a controversial stoppage in the Rolly Romero-Ismael Barroso fight.
In the 9th round of the fight, Weeks stopped the fight and awarded Romero the win even though Barroso did not seem hurt and was continuing to fight.
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
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) May 14, 2023
Here’s the slow motion replay of the stoppage.
Nothing landed. Tony Weeks is trippin for stopping that. TRIPPIN#RomeroBarroso pic.twitter.com/wlNgk1grv0
— Will Blackmon (@WillBlackmon) May 14, 2023
Veteran boxing journalist Dan Rafael called it one of the worst boxing stoppages he had ever seen.
On replays, that is literally one of the worst stoppages I have seen in 45 years of watching #boxing. NO REASON for Weeks to stop that at all. AT ALL! Garbage stoppage. Awful ending to a shitty fight. #RomeroBarroso
— Dan Rafael (@DanRafael1) May 14, 2023
Chris Mannix agreed with Rafael’s assessment.
Tony Weeks with one of the worst stoppages I have ever seen. Ever. Barosso wasn’t hurt. Wasn’t in trouble. And Weeks stops a fight the 40-year old was likely winning on the scorecards. That is absolutely appalling.
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) May 14, 2023
After the fight, Barroso said he thought it was an injustice to stop the fight by Weeks.
"I think it was an injustice to stop this fight."
Ismael Barroso with strong feelings on the stoppage.#RomeroBarroso pic.twitter.com/ew9NoukLtC
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) May 14, 2023
To make matters worse, Barroso was ahead on all the three scorecards before the stoppage.
Ismael Barroso Was Winning On All 3 Scorecards At The Time Of The Stoppage (78-73, 77-74 & 76-75) #RomeroBarroso
— Eat Sleep Boxing Repeat (@ESBRBoxing) May 14, 2023
Update: Weeks declined to explain his decision to stop the fight.
Tony Weeks & the head of the NSAC refused to talk to Jim Grey during the post fight which is the problem as these officials make these calls with no accountability #RomeroBarroso
— Jason Hagholm (@JHagholm1) May 14, 2023