Friday night at Casino du Lac-Leamy in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada, WBA-NABA light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev (11-0, 11 KOs), the knockout artist from Montreal by way of Khasavyurt, Russia, successfully defended his title by stopping Isidro Prieto (26-2-3, 22 KOs), from Quilmes, Buenos Aires, Argentina, by way of Capiata, Paraguay, at 2:44 of the first round.

Thirty-one-year-old Beterbiev got right to work at the opening bell. Thirty seconds into the first round, both fighters threw right hands and Beterbiev’s landed first. Thirty-year-old Prieto fell to the canvas as if he had been shot. He made it to his feet at the count of eight and the fight resumed.

There’s no quit in Prieto and he fought reasonably well during the next minute and a half. But Beterbiev landed a left hook to the head on the inside followed by an overhand right that drove him to the corner. Prieto bounced off the turnbuckle and caught a quick one-two and down he went a second time.

Prieto tried to get to his feet at the count of five and fell onto his left side. He tried to stand again and stumbled backward into the ropes. The referee Michael Griffin had seen enough and waved it off.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZwBw1ztg9A

This article was penned by the author who is not related to the WBA and the statements, expressions or opinions referenced herein are that of the author alone and not the WBA.