Clay ‘Cassius’ Collard just shook up the boxing world.

In what he insisted will be his last boxing fight before sliding over to mixed martial arts’ Professional Fighters League, the 26-year old Utah-bred slugger scored a massive upset in stopping Raymond ‘Tito’ Guajardo in the 2nd round of their Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on FS1 preliminary battle Saturday evening at Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Both middleweights hit the deck, but it was Collard who stood tall in the end as a flurry along the ropes left Guajardo defenseless. Referee Keith Hughes intervened at 1:42 of round two.

The scheduled six-round middleweight heat was intended as a showcase for San Antonio’s Guajardo, a rising young prospect with plenty of upside. Collard didn’t show his unbeaten southpaw foe any respect, initiating a slugfest and sending Guajardo to the canvas early in round one. He came right back on the attack, battering Guajardo who caught two flush shots upstairs before touching both gloves to the canvas. Collard landed two more body shots before Hughes finally intervened to rule a knockdown.

With a knockout well within sight, Collard instead found himself on the canvas. Guajardo recovered just in time to clip his overconfident foe with a counter right hook. Collard beat the count, with two way action ensuing to cap what will undoubtedly stand tall in the Round of the Year race throughout 2020.

Collard went right back on the attack in round two. Guajardo’s nose was bloodied from the heavy incoming, eating a flurry along the ropes but responding just enough to avoid a stoppage. The ensuing volley of punches left him out on his feet, this time prompting Hughes to call a halt to the contest.

The win is the second straight over an unbeaten opponent for Collard, who advances to 6-2-3 2KOs). 

“It was a war, that was fighting is,” Collard told FS1’s Jordan Plant (nee Hardy) after the bout. “We’re in that battling. It’s what I loved to do. It was awesome.”

It was anything but awesome for Guajardo, who falls to 5-1 (4KOs).

“I’ll be back, 100 (percent) after this,” stated the stunned but respectful 19-year old.

The bout served in supporting capacity to a welterweight heat between Yordenis Ugas (24-4, 11KOs) and Mike Dallas Jr. (23-3-2, 11KO).

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for krikya360.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox