It was two rounds later than he predicted, but Lorenzo Medina delivered the knockout he promised Friday night.
The 19-year-old heavyweight prospect rocked Joshua Temple with a right hand early in the sixth round and finished him off soon thereafter on the Jake Paul-Andre August undercard at Caribe Royale Orlando in Orlando, Florida. Referee Christopher Young halted their scheduled six-rounder 29 seconds into the final round.
St. Louis’ Temple remained on his feet when their bout ended, but he was disoriented and in no condition to continue.
Medina, of Hollywood, Florida, improved to 9-0 and produced his eighth knockout. St. Louis’ Temple (12-3, 10 KOs) lost inside the distance for the first time in 15 professional fights.
Medina completely changed a competitive fight by blasting Temple with a right hand that wobbled him a little more than 20 seconds into the sixth round. Medina pounced on his vulnerable opponent, landed another right hand, two more left hooks and a right hand that made Young step between them to halt the action.
A counter left by Medina clipped Temple with about 45 seconds on the clock in the fifth round. Medina’s hard right knocked Temple backward with 1:20 to go in the fifth round.
Medina drilled Temple with two left hooks early in the middle minute of the fourth round.
Temple slipped and fell to the canvas just before the midway mark of the third round. Temple connected with a left hook barely 10 seconds into the third round.
Medina landed a right hand and spun out of harm’s way with about 1:20 to go in the second round.
Medina went down a little less than 30 seconds into the second round. Young counted it as a knockdown, but Temple stepped on Medina’s foot and caused Medina to stumble backward.
A right hand by Medina made Temple stumble with just over 1:10 to go in the opening round. Medina boxed with confidence during those opening three minutes, when he fought
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.