Another fight, another knockout win for David Cuellar.
The unbeaten junior bantamweight contender stopped Marlon Rios at the beginning of the third round late Friday night at La Plaza de Toros in Cancun, Mexico. Cuellar, who is ranked in the top 10 by three major sanctioning bodies, improved to 25-0, 17 knockouts.
Cuellar, who resides in Queretaro, Mexico, was on the attack from the opening bell, connecting repeatedly with left hooks to the body. Cuellar backed the shorter Rios against the ropes, throwing and landing combinations, finishing with left hooks to the body.
Because of the amount of punishment he was receiving, Rios remained on his stool to begin the third round.
The 21-year-old Cuellar last fought on May 19 in a stay-busy fight, defeating Francisco Mendivil by unanimous decision. Cuellar knocked out Gilberto Pedraza in the fourth round of his previous fight on October 1.
Rios, who resides in Victoria de Durango, Mexico, falls to 12-6-1, 6 KOs.
In the main event, junior featherweights Christopher Lopez (16-0-2, 10 KOs) of Guadalajara, Mexico and Brandon Gamez fought to a majority decision draw.
One judge scored the bout 97-93 for Lopez, while the other two judges scored the bout 95-95.
The ebb and flow of the fight was consistent from start to finish, and both produced solid exchanges. Lopez started well, but Gamez did his best work during the second half of the fight.
Gamez, who resides in the boxing hotbed of Los Mochis, Mexico, falls to 12-2-1, 10 KOs.
Junior lightweight prospect Alberto Mora of Mexico City improved to 8-0, 6 KOs, scoring an impressive second round knockout win over Matias Camano.
Mora initiated exchanges during the first round, putting Camano on the defensive. Late in the second round, a right uppercut dropped Camano to the canvas. Camano beat the count, but was in no condition to continue, prompting a stoppage at 2:53.
Camano, who resides in Cordoba, Argentina, falls to 2-2-1, 1 KO.
Lightweight prospect and three-time Olympic bronze medalist Lazaro Alvarez knocked out Edgar Espinosa in the opening round.
A sweeping left cross to the head dropped Espinosa flat on his back. The fight was waved off as Espinosa laid motionless on the canvas. He would get up on his own power after a few minutes.
The 32-year-old Alvarez, who was born and raised in Pinar del Rio, Cuba, improved to 6-0, 4 KOs.
Espinosa, who resides in Guadalajara, Mexico, falls to 7-5, 6 KOs.
Former WBC world junior flyweight titleholder Yesenia Gomez (19-6-4, 6 KOs) of Cancun and Arlenn Sanchez fought to a split decision draw. One judge scored the bout 77-75 for Gomez, another judge scored the bout 78-74 for Sanchez, while the third judge scored the bout 77-77.
Sanchez, who resides in Tlalnepantla, Mexico, goes to 4-5-4.
Friday’s card was co-promoted by Promociones del Pueblo, BXSTRS, and Cancun Boxing.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for BoxingScene.com since September 2012 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He can be reached by email at santio89@yahoo.com or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing