Photos: Joe Smith Batters, Bloodies, Stops Eleider Alvarez in Nine

MGM Grand Conference Center - In a light heavyweight eliminator, Joe Smith (26-3, 21 KOs) dropped and knocked out Eleider Alvarez (25-2, 13 KOs) in the ninth round. (photos by Mikey Williams)

Alvarez started with his boxing, as Smith was pressing and looking to land something big. Alvarez was landing some heavy shots in the second. Smith was firing back, but not landing flush. Smith had the edge in the third when he let his hands go. He continued to do better in the fourth.

In the fifth, Alvarez began to bleed bad from his nose and around his left eye. Smith was unloading on him with big shots. Alvarez survived the round, but continued to take shots in the sixth.

During the seventh, Smith got buzzed for a second when Alvarez landed a big right - and then Smith responded with numerous combinations to bust Alvarez up. Smith continued to find success with hard combinations in the eight.

At the start of the ninth, Smith landed a combination that dropped and knocked Alvarez out.