ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – It’s been a while since Daniel Roman was last seen on national TV. In fact, you have to venture back almost six years, to his third pro fight, which was shown on ESPN. So the 26-year-old junior featherweight wasn’t about to squander the chance Friday night in the main event to a “ShoBox: The New Generation” show at Bally’s Event Center.

Roman (22-2-1, 18 knockouts) was facing Adam Lopez, in a WBA title eliminator, and you couldn’t help but wonder why Roman wasn’t on national TV more often after stopping the previously undefeated Lopez (16-1-1, 8 KOs) in a thoroughly dominating ninth-round stoppage.

Roman knocked Lopez down twice in the fourth, and had him teetering on the brink a few times after that. But Lopez was too tough for his own good, continuing to take punishment before Ronnie Shields, Lopez’s trainer, decided to end it.

“Adam Lopez is a great fighter, and he was ranked No. 3 by the WBA coming into this, and I was ranked No. 4, but we got ready for this fight and that’s what got me ready for this fight,” Roman said. “It was my first time on ‘ShoBox,’ so I had to look good. That motivated me a lot, too. I knew everyone was going to be watching.

“I don’t get these chances that often. The last time I was on national TV was my third pro fight. It’s been a while. I had to look good and I got the exposure tonight. Everything came out good. I just need more exposure, and this helped. I’ve been confident now for the last couple of years. I believe that’s played a big role in my life.”

Sims decisions Robles in eight

In an eight-round junior welterweight clash also shown on TV, Kenneth Sims Jr. (11-0, 3 KOs) won an eight-round decision over Emmanuel Robles (15-2-1, 5 KOs). Robles was a late replacement, while Sims was still coping with the death of his good friend, Ed Brown, who was gunned down sitting in his car on Dec. 3, and pronounced dead from a gunshot wound to the head on Sunday, Dec. 4.

Sims didn’t think his friend’s death would hit him.

It did.

“I did come in too psyched for this remembering Ed,” Sims admitted. “I got out of my game. I was trying to knock Robles out right from the first round. I fought his fight. My fight is boxing, but instead, I did what he wanted to do. It still hurt [missing Brown]. I wasn’t too happy with how I fought. I didn’t do anything I usually do.

“I got hit too much. I smothered myself. I didn’t keep my distance. I may look like I’m clean, but I don’t feel like it. When I got back to my dressing room, someone said something about Ed and I just got emotional. I don’t know if I feel better. The fight won’t bring Ed back. This fight helps be move forward for the next fight. I had to take that first step. It wasn’t supposed to be that exciting.”

Ellis edges Brooker

The scorecards said one thing, those at ringside felt another way.

Super middleweight Ronald Ellis drove his unblemished record to 13-0-1, with 10 KOs, with an eight-round unanimous decision over rugged Chris Brooker (11-3, 5 KOs). But many that witnessed it live thought it was closer than judges Debra Barnes and Eugene Grant had it, which was 79-73 for Ellis. George Hill also thought Ellis won, though with a more agreeable 77-75 score.

“I’m tired of this,” Brooker said. “I’m glad the fight was on TV and I’m glad the world got to see what I’m about. I fight these undefeated fighters and everyone outs them on pedestals and make them look like ordinary fighters. I’m not a C-class fighter. I’m an elite fighter. They put me on Showtime for a reason. He was grabbing me the last four rounds.

“How did I win two rounds? What do I have to do? I know I’m not going to get an even call.”

Ellis wasn’t too pleased, either.

“Brooker is real tough, he was built like a stack of potatoes,” Ellis said. “I thought I won. I tried to stick to my game plan, but there were times when he slipped in there. It kind of got me frustrated. I wanted to keep my distance and work my hook. Every time I caught him, he jumped me.

“I have to learn to take a half step back and work distance more. I have to get back into the gym and when I come back, I’ll be better than ever.”

On the off-TV undercard, bantamweight Stephon Young (16-0-3, 6 KOs) won an eight-round decision over Olimjon Nazarov (14-4, 8 KOs).

Bantamweight Leroy Davila (5-0, 3 KOs) remained undefeated with a third-round kayo of Anthony Taylor (4-1, 1 KO).

Junior welterweight Keenan Smith moved to 10-0, with 4 KOs, after stopping Marquis Hawthorne (4-6, 1 KO) in five. And welterweight Anthony Young (15-2, 6 Kos) won a six-round decision over James Robinson (4-6-4, 1 KO).