Charles Conwell clearly learned an invaluable lesson 15 months ago.
Motivated by his unforeseen first professional loss, Conwell returned from a long layoff in championship form Saturday night and dominated former USA Boxing teammate Paul Kroll in their junior middleweight match on the Lamont Roach Jr.-William Zepeda undercard at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. Cleveland’s Conwell (22-1, 17 KOs) dropped Kroll in the third and hurt him again with a body shot in the ninth round, when referee Robert Hoyle stopped their scheduled 10-round bout because Kroll took too much punishment.
The official time of the stoppage was 2:38 of the ninth round.
Philadelphia’s Kroll, 31, suffered his first professional defeat (12-1-2, 8 KOs).
“I’m back,” Conwell told DAZN/TNT announcer Chris Mannix in the ring. “It’s been a long time coming. It felt good to get back in the ring. I’m excited. It was a good fight.”
The 28-year-old Conwell, a 2016 U.S. Olympian, lost a 12-round split decision to Mexican underdog Jorge Garcia in his prior appearance, a 12-round bout in April 2025 at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside, California. Garcia fought Xander Zayas for the then-vacant WBO junior middleweight title in his following fight, just the type of championship opportunity Conwell was on the cusp of earning before he admittedly took Garcia lightly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp2fWr1zWkY&t=22s
Conwell was the stronger, sharper fighter from the opening bell against Kroll, a decorated amateur who has been inconsistent in the professional ranks.
He landed the harder punches and caused Kroll to hold during the first two rounds before he caught Kroll with a left hook that knocked him backward, into the ropes, at exactly the midway mark of the third round. Hoyle counted a knockdown for Conwell because the ropes kept Kroll from falling to the canvas.
That marked the first knockdown of Kroll’s pro career and was an indication of what was to come.
Conwell completely controlled the action thereafter and eventually hurt Kroll again with a left hook to the body in the middle minute of the ninth round. A fatigued Kroll stayed on his feet and tried to make it to the 10th round, but Hoyle thought he was taking too much punishment and stepped between them.
Kroll didn’t contest the stoppage.
“I still got a lot to work on,” Conwell said. “Sixteen months off [from] the ring, and I think I still did pretty good. … I’m ready to go back to the gym, get better and work on what’s next.”
Curiel Defeats Randall By Majority Decision
Mexican welterweight contender Raul Curiel overcame a slow start in the fight following Conwell’s win to defeat Quinton Randall by majority decision in a 10-round bout.
Randall (17-4-1, 4 KOs), of Katy, Texas, boxed well through the first five rounds, when he took Curiel’s power well and landed from the range at which the taller, longer Randall was comfortable boxing. Curiel persistently pressured Randall, though, and connected with the flusher punches during the final five rounds.
Randall moved much during the second half of their bout, which clearly cost him on two of the scorecards.
Judge Chris Migliore scored their competitive contest a draw, 95-95. John McCarthy scored seven rounds for Curiel, who won 97-93 on his card and Patricia Morse Jarman oddly scored it a shutout for Curiel, 100-90.
Curiel, ranked No. 7 among The Ring’s welterweight contenders for a vacant championship, improved to 18-0-1 (14 KOs). He has won three straight fights since settling for a 12-round majority draw with Alexis Rocha (26-2-1, 16 KOs) in December 2024.
Prelim Results
Juan Carlos Becerril (3-0, 2 KOs) def. Dylan Capetillo (2-1, 1 KO) TKO 3 (2:59) – junior welterweights
Joel Iriarte (11-0, 10 KOs) def. Jorge Lagunas (19-10, 16 KOs) TKO 8 (2:48) – welterweights
Gael Cabrera (12-0, 7 KOs) def. Francisco Portillo (20-15-2, 11 KOs, 1 NC) UD 8 (80-72, 79-73, 79-73) – junior featherweights
Fabian Guzman (11-0, 8 KOs) def. Aaron Coley (17-6-2, 7 KOs) UD 8 (79-73, 78-74, 78-74) – middleweights
Dalis Kaleiopu (9-0, 7 KOs) def. Yeyery Castillo (14-3, 11 KOs) TKO 1 (2:37) – lightweights
