Photo: Tom Hogan – Hoganphotos/Golden Boy Promotions

When Andre Rozier planned for the various outcomes that could take place in the WBO welterweight title fight between Sadam Ali and Jessie Vargas on March 5, he never foresaw what actually happened. Vargas stopped Ali in the ninth round, dealing the Brooklyn boxer as well as his trainer, Rozier a significant setback. Looking back on the crushing loss, which he described as “devastating,” the trainer blamed fatigue as well as a loss of focus for what happened.

“It was a hurtful loss for us,” Rozier told RingTV.com. “In my wildest dreams I never imagined Sadam losing the fight much less them having to stop it. But it’s a learning lesson and we have to work harder. We have to pick up our pace. We tired a bit and we got to stay focused on the things that will make it far more easier for us to be successful when we box.”

The bout was hostly contested through the first seven rounds. Ali used his speed and lateral quickness to dart in and out while Vargas patiently stalked Ali, breaking him down bit by bit with his powerful shots. The beginning of the end seemed to sneak up on everyone when toward the end of the eighth round Vargas landed a flush right hand that sent Ali to the canvas. Ali (22-1, 13 knockouts) managed to survive the round but his legs were all but gone in the ninth when the bout was eventually stopped at 2:09 of the frame.

Rozier said he was telling Ali between rounds to not wait and to keep busy, to keep Vargas on the defensive. “And he waited one moment too long and that’s when he got caught with the right hand,” Rozier said of the eighth-round knockdown. “And at that point it’s what took the fight in another direction.”

The disappointment was evident in Rozier’s voice as he spoke. But he also suggested that Ali may end up better from the loss. A former U.S. Olympian with a win against Terence Crawford on his amateur resume, Rozier is confident Ali will bounce back.

“This is something that we really didn’t anticipate in the outcome,” he said. “It was really a devastating moment and now we have to get back on the horse and work harder than ever before. And I believe he’ll be a lot stronger than what you saw in the ring on March 5. I think it’s him focusing more on being in the best condition that he can be. I think he’ll be fine at that point. It’s really hard when it happens but sometimes adversity will build the strongest character. We’re just going to have to regroup and get ready to rock and roll.”

Mitch Abramson is a former reporter for the NY Daily News. He can be reached at: [email protected] and on Twitter @Mabramson13.