Gabriel Rosado’s last big fight on the world stage ended in a loss by TKO to Alfredo Angulo. The fight was stopped by the second round. Rosado was determined to not let that happen again. He fought a spirited fight against veteran fighter Saul Roman of Mexico. Although at times it looked as though Rosado was not going to pull off a win. Rosado was able to win the split decision.

Early in the fight Saul Roman looked like the veteran fighter he is. There was a calmness to his fighting, something that comes from confidence and experience. He had the slight edge in the first round. Roman was slipping shots through the arms of Rosado and landing them on his body. Roman was doing the same in the second round. Roman caught Rosado on the ropes. Rosado was able to fight his way off, but Roman put him right back onto the ropes. And although Rosado was throwing punches, few seemed to be connecting.

Rosado was looking better in the third round. He was landing more on the body of Roman and had a strong burst in the middle of the round. But it still seemed that Roman was controlling the majority of the round. After the bell, Rosado took a shot at Roman. Chalk it up to inexperience.

Rosado seemed to sense the urgency in the fourth round. He was working to turn the tide of the fight, and late in the round, he was succeeding. Rosado, who is more of a counter-puncher, was starting to go more on the offensive. The fifth round started more as a brawl. Roman still seemed calm, but it was becoming noticeable that he might be having trouble breathing.

In the sixth round, Rosado, who was already showing the signs of the fight on his face, gave Roman a cut over his right eye. The cut was ruled a head butt, but even so, this still can give a fighter an advantage. Rosado started to work at that cut. Both fighters were swinging at the bell. This continued in round seven. Neither fighter seemed to be backing off. However, Rosado now looked like the calmer fighter. And Roman was getting hit whenever he tried to come in. Roman was looking a lot more cautious in the eighth. He was in no hurry to come in and attack Rosado. When he did, he was able to land some good shots. But Rosado finished the round strong, landing a hard right to the face of Roman.

The ninth round was close. It seemed to be anyone’s fight. Both fighters were going all out in the tenth round. They took a short breather in the middle of the round, only to go back to an all out brawl. By the end of the fight, both were covered in blood. Two judges scored the fight 96-94 for Rosado. One judge scored it 97-93 for Roman. It was a close fight, and the scores reflect this. Rosado made up for his loss to Angulo. He made the necessary adjustments early enough in the fight. Maybe it was not a unanimous decision as he might have preferred, but it was a win.