After the fight: The progression and humanity of Stephen Fulton and Rolly Romero

Stephen Fulton became a world champion for the first time, and Rolly Romero showed his true skillset against Avery Sparrow. 

On Jan. 23, boxers Stephen Fulton and Rolando “Rolly” Romero showed evolved skills on a big Showtime stage.

Romero (13-0, 11 KOs) impressively defeated last-minute replacement Avery Sparrow via TKO in round 7.  Romero never directly said that he had a chip on his shoulder after his questionable win over Jackson Marinez in August, but during the press conference following his win over Sparrow, Romero admitted that he was far from 100 percent against Marinez.

“The person that fought Marinez wasn’t me,” Romero told FanSided during the press conference. “It wasn’t me. I had a bad camp. I didn’t do the things I was supposed to do. I messed that up in a big part of it, and he [Marinez] fought scared.”

Romero didn’t elaborate on his troubles during the camp for Marinez. He wished to keep those details private, which is his right. His response was honest and candid and explains his lackluster performance against Marinez despite winning by unanimous decision in August.

In his latest victory over Sparrow, Romero looked like a different fighter. Against Marinez, Romero was flatfooted and threw one punch at a time. He was hesitant to let his hands go and didn’t look like a championship-level boxer.

In the ring with Sparrow, Romero physically looked better. His physique was more cut and defined. Romero worked his jab and improvised punch combinations without hesitation. He was aggressive when needed and also knew when to turn into a counterpuncher.

Romero looked like a complete fighter and deserves credit for his performance. I made sure to give it to him during the post-fight press conference. I think we saw a true account of Romero’s abilities in his win over Sparrow. He showed growth as a boxer, but he also proved that there’s more than a record to a fighter.

You can’t always analyze the human element of a boxer before a fight because it’s not visible to the public. Everybody is going through something. Sometimes, something turns into a serious problem and affects us mentally and emotionally to the point where it manifests itself in our work and in public.

Boxers are no different. Whatever Romero was going through before the Marinez fight, it seems like he has dealt with and recovered from. You can call it an excuse if you like, but I would like to look at it empathetically as a challenging moment in life that befalls us all at some point.

Stephen Fulton and Rolando Romero gave people something to talk about with their victories on Jan. 23

In the main event of Showtime’s Jan. 23 fight card, Fulton fought in a battle of attrition against Angelo Leo and came out the better man. Having talked to both fighters before the bout, they both thought they had the other figured out.

What transpired between them was a contest that elevated both of their games, but Fulton proved to be somewhat superhuman in Uncasville, CT, on that night. According to ShoStats, Fulton threw 1,183 punches and landed nearly 31 percent of them. FanSided shared those numbers with Fulton during the post-fight press conference, and he was astonished by his own accomplishment.

“I didn’t even know I threw that many punches,” said Fulton. “It’s probably the first fight I did that. Damn, I swear to God I didn’t know I threw that many punches.”

Leo gave it his all and threw an excellent 810 punches, but Fulton was just better. Both upped their stock, but Leo lost his title, and Fulton realized a dream by becoming a world champion.

Before the fight, Fulton said all the right things. He told FanSided two days before his meeting with Leo that he was focused, in tremendous shape, and positive that he would be the new WBO junior featherweight champion.

Leading up to a fight, most boxers make those same comments. It’s hard to tell if they mean what they say or if they’re covering up shortcomings. Sometimes they’re trying to delude themselves into believing their own words, but if that’s the case, then they’ve already lost.

Fulton (19-0, 8 KOs) truly believed in his comments and backed them up with a stellar display against Leo. He was rightfully amped after his win and looked like he could box another 12 rounds. Fulton always impressed in his previous bouts, but it took a fearless and skilled opponent like Leo to bring out the best in him.

The scary part is that Fulton looked like he had more gears in reserve, which should threaten the rest of the division. At 26 years old, Fulton might be the most talented all-around boxer at junior featherweight.

Fulton and Romero had a great night and showed that they’re boxers with substance, but everyone is vulnerable. It’s not always what happens in the ring that preys on a boxer, but what happens outside of it that makes them fall.

Hopefully, they can both ride this momentum and keep all facets of their lives moving up. Fulton and Romero are young and talented and still haven’t reached their peaks.