Claudio Marrero made Gonzalo Fuenzalida fold with repeated body shots Saturday night.
The 33-year-old Dominican southpaw floored Fuenzalida with left hands to the body in the third, fourth and fifth rounds, which led to a fifth-round, technical knockout win at Alamodome. Referee Jon Schorle stopped their scheduled eight-round lightweight bout 43 seconds into the fifth round, as soon as Fuenzalida went down for the third time in as many rounds.
Showtime streamed Marrero’s win on its YouTube channel as part of the network’s coverage of the Rey Vargas-O’Shaquie Foster undercard.
Santo Domingo’s Marrero improved 27-5 and produced his 19th knockout. Chile’s Fuenzalida (12-2, 3 KOs) suffered the second knockout defeat of his seven-year professional career.
Marrero, who ended almost a one-year layoff Saturday, has won three straight fights since then-unbeaten Xavier Martinez edged him unanimously in a 12-round, 130-pound bout that took place in October 2020 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Marrero dropped Martinez twice in the eighth round, but he lost by scores of 115-111, 114-112 and 114-112.
Fuenzalida had some success offensively and often connected in exchanges. Marrero’s power was the difference, however, and his repeated connections to Fuenzalida’s body were too much for his 26-year-old opponent to take.
Another perfectly placed left to Fuenzalida’s body dropped him 41 seconds into the fifth round. Schorle saw enough by that point and stopped their scheduled eight-rounder, as Fuenzalida held his midsection and writhed in pain.
For the second time in as many rounds, Marrero’s left to Fuenzalida body made him take a knee with 1:14 to go in the fourth round. Fuenzalida took more time to get up from this fourth-round knockdown than he did when Marrero dropped him in the third round.
A left to the body by Marrero dropped Fuenzalida to one knee with 1:12 remaining in the third round. Fuenzalida got up quickly and went right back after Marrero.
With just under 30 seconds to go in the third round, Marrero hit Fuenzalida below his belt, which drew a warning from Schorle.
A straight left hand by Marrero moved Fuenzalida backward with about 50 seconds to go in the second round. Fuenzalida drilled Marrero with a right hand a little less than 40 seconds into the second round, but Marrero took it well.
Fuenzalida and Marrero traded hard shots a few seconds after the midway mark of the first round. Marrero drilled Fuenzalida with a straight left barely 45 seconds into the opening round.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for krikya360.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.