Heavyweight Andrii Novytskyi knocked out Alexander Flores in the fourth round in Friday’s main event at Thunder Studios in Long Beach, California.
The time of the stoppage was 2:20.
Novytskyi kept Flores away in the opening round with lateral movement and an active jab. In the second, the 35-year-old Flores crept closer but still struggled to find the elusive Novytskyi.
Round after round, Novytskyi, 30, served as a matador as Flores pushed forward, but Flores was unable to set his feet and land a consequential punch.
Flores, of Rowland Heights, California, was cut over his left eye from a head clash in the fourth round. The round would go from bad to worse for Flores, as Novytskyi dropped him moments later with a right hand. Upon getting to his feet, Novytskyi swarmed Flores, who hit the canvas hard, and the fight was called off.
Ukraine’s Novytskyi, who trains in Los Angeles, improved to 16-0 (11 KOs), while Flores fell to 21-6-1 (19 KOs).
In the co-feature, women’s lightweight Alejandra Rojas Rivera got off the deck to win a split decision over previously unbeaten Chelsey Anderson.
Scores were 76-75 and 77-74 in Rivera’s favor, with one judge having it 76-75 for Anderson.
Rivera pressed forward from the opening bell. Anderson, 35, dropped the 29-year-old Rivera in the second round with a short right hand that sent her to one knee. Anderson appeared to fatigue in the fourth round as Rivera continued to press forward and her volume began to overwhelm Anderson in the pocket in the second half of the fight.
Rivera, of Mexico City, took the biggest win of her career, improving to 6-3-3 (1 KO).
Anderson, of Yorba Linda, California, suffered her first career loss, falling to 8-1-1 (3 KOs).
The bout was a rematch of their January fight, which ended in a draw.
Earlier in the evening, Lawrence King, a light heavyweight fighting in a 180lbs catchweight bout, recorded a highlight-reel seventh-round knockout over Kevin Brizuela. The time of the stoppage was 0:57.
King, a 29-year-old southpaw, dropped Brizuela in the second round with a straight left hand. King knocked down the 25-year-old Brizuela twice more – in the seventh round with a right hook, and then later in the same round with the same punch, which landed on Brizuela’s temple. Brizuela lay on the canvas for a minute or so after being counted out, before getting to his feet.
King, from San Bernardino, California, improved to 20-1 (16 KOs), while Brizuela, from Cordoba, Argentina, slipped to 9-4 (6 KOs).
Lucas Ketelle is the author of “Inside the Ropes of Boxing,” a guide for young fighters, a writer for BoxingScene and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Find him on X at @BigDogLukie.
