Scorecard: Hurd, Rodriguez score stoppage wins

— -- A roundup of the past week's notable boxing results from around the world:

Saturday in Las Vegas

Jarrett Hurd TKO6 Frank Galarza
Junior middleweights
Records: Hurd (17-0, 11 KOs); Galarza (17-1-2, 11 KOs)

Rafael's remarks: Hurd, 25, of Accokeek, Maryland, turned pro in September 2009 and got his first national television exposure against by far his most notable opponent to date by facing Galarza, 30, of Brooklyn, New York, in the main event of Showtime's "ShoBox: The New Generation." The fight was initially scheduled to be the co-feature on the "Showtime Championship Boxing" card headlined by featherweight titlist Gary Russell Jr.'s defense against Oscar Escandon, but when Russell suffered a cut and his fight was called off, Hurd-Galarza was turned into the main event of the re-worked card.

Hurd, who has gained experience by sparring with fighters such as Lamont Peterson, Austin Trout, Antoine Douglas and Dominic Wade, showed a lot against Galarza in a good performance to stamp himself as a solid prospect to watch. It was the first time either man had been scheduled for a 10-round bout, but Hurd made that academic with the way he finished off Galarza -- supported at ringside by good friend and actress Susan Sarandon.

Hurd was sharp with his punches and quicker than Galarza throughout the fight. He dropped Galarza to a knee with a big right uppercut with about 30 seconds left in the fourth round. It was the first time Galarza had been knocked down in his career and although he survived, he was never the same after the knockdown. Galarza made it through the fifth round but in the sixth, Hurd connected with another powerful uppercut. It badly rocked a bleeding Galarza, who turned his back on the fight, forcing referee Russell Mora to call a halt to the action at 59 seconds.

"I knew he was an experienced, tough fighter, but I stuck to my game plan, listened to my corner and came out victorious," Hurd said. "Once I was able to set up my counter shots, I knew I could hurt him. This was my first time on national TV and I knew how important it was to be successful. I'd like to fight again soon, hopefully early in 2016. I'm ready to take my next step."

Galarza said he'd go back to the drawing board.

"I tip my hat off to Hurd. He was the better man tonight," Galarza said. "I didn't fight my fight and he did. This type of stuff happens in our sport. I'm disappointed in my performance, but mark my words: I'll be back, better and stronger than ever."

Sergiy Derevyanchenko TKO3 Jessie Nicklow
Super middleweights
Records: Derevyanchenko (7-0, 5 KOs); Nicklow (25-8-3, 8 KOs)

Rafael's remarks: In a fight made on a week's notice -- Showtime wanted to keep the card alive when the Russell-Escandon main event was called off due to Russell getting cut in training -- Derevyanchenko, 30, a 2008 Ukrainian Olympian, blew through Nicklow with ease. It was not unexpected.

Even though Derevyanchenko, who fought at 164 pounds but generally campaigns at 160, has only seven pro fights he is extraordinarily seasoned and talented. He was 390-20 as an amateur and then went 23-1 in World Series of Boxing competition. Nicklow, 28, of Baltimore, Maryland, who has lost to prospects such as Ryota Murata and Ronald Gavril and former middleweight champion Jermain Taylor, had little chance as he dropped to 1-4 in his past five fights.

Derevyanchenko went on the attack from the opening bell and ate Nicklow up with a powerful body attack and a steady diet of uppercuts. Derevyanchenko won the first two rounds and then brutalized Nicklow in the third round. He was teeing off on him almost at will and when he forced him to the ropes and continued to pound a near-defenseless Nicklow, referee Jay Nady stepped in to wave off the fight at 2 minutes, 18 seconds. Derevyanchenko is moving quickly and there's no reason to slow him down.

According to CompuBox punch statistics, Derevyanchenko landed 125 of 224 punches (56 percent) -- including 89 of 124 power shots -- while Nicklow connected on just 15 of 99 punches (15 percent).

"This was a great performance by me," said Derevyanchenko, adding he would like to eventually challenge unified titleholder Gennady Golovkin. "Jessie was a very tough opponent. I feel like I showed another element to my game. No one has done to Jessie what I did to him. I'm improving every time and I feel like I'll be ready for a title shot by the end of 2016."

David Benavidez TKO1 Felipe Romero
Light heavyweights 
Records: Benavidez (11-0, 10 KOs); Romero (19-10-1, 13 KOs)

Rafael's remarks: Benavidez, just 18, of Phoenix, is the younger brother of interim junior welterweight titlist Jose Benavidez Jr. and turned pro in Mexico in 2013 at age 16 because he was too young to fight as a professional in the United States. Romero, 31, is not much of an opponent but he was the best and most experienced one Benavidez has faced and he took him out with ease, scoring three knockdowns for the quick victory.

In scoring the ninth first-round knockout of his career, Benavidez staggered Romero, of Mexico, with a left hand a minute into the fight and then dropped him with another left hand moments later. A few seconds after the fight resumed Benavidez scored the knockdown with a digging left hook to the body that sent Romero to his knees. He grudgingly continued and Benavidez was all over him, strafing him with body shots and left hands until he sunk to the mat again and referee Robert Byrd waved it off at 2 minutes. Benavidez will be interesting to watch but it is impossible to tell how far he might go, given his lack of amateur experience and limited pro opposition. But he is young and strong. Romero lost his second fight in a row by knockout.

"I know how strong my body shots are and I knew they would be effective," said Benavidez, who has sparred with the likes of Kelly Pavlik, Gennady Golovkin, Peter Quillin and Julius Jackson. "I wanted to make a great impression in my first nationally televised fight. I'm ready to get back in the ring gain as soon as possible."

Bermane Stiverne W10 Derric Rossy
Heavyweights
Records: Stiverne (25-2-1); Rossy (30-11, 14 KOs)

Rafael's remarks: In May 2014, Stiverne, 37, of Las Vegas, knocked out Chris Arreola in the sixth round of their rematch to win a vacant world title and become the first Haitian-born heavyweight to win a world title. But in January, Stiverne met mandatory challenger Deontay Wilder in his first defense and was manhandled in a near-shutout decision loss. He returned 11 months later to face Rossy, 35, of Medford, New York, an experienced but dangerous journeyman. It was a close fight with Rossy having the biggest moment when, after getting tagged with a couple of left hands in the first round, he dropped Stiverne in the final 10 seconds of the round. Stiverne survived and went on to win the competitive decision against Rossy, who lost his second in a row and third in his past four bouts (all decisions).

"It was great to be back in the ring again," Stiverne said. "I wasn't rusty, but maybe I sparred too much in the gym. He was a tough guy. The knockdown was more of a flash knockdown. It was a good punch, but I was a little off balance, too. I'm ready to get back in the ring soon and work my way back to become a world champion again."

Friday in Biloxi, Mississippi

Edwin Rodriguez TKO3 Michael Seals
Light heavyweights
Records: Rodriguez (28-1, 19 KOs); Seals (19-1, 14 KOs)

Rafael's remarks: The Premier Boxing Champions main event on Spike was a wildly entertaining, bombs-away event that featured five total knockdowns and will certainly find itself on the list of fight of the year honorable mentions -- not to mention the opening round being a strong candidate for round of the year, as it featured an incredible change of momentum, with both fighters getting knocked down, including Rodriguez hitting the deck twice.

Rodriguez, 30, of Worcester, Massachusetts, was by far the more established and known fighter, having been featured on television numerous times, including in a failed super middleweight title shot against Andre Ward in November 2013, for which Rodriguez failed to make weight and then got easily outpointed.

But since then, Rodriguez moved up to light heavyweight and has now won four in a row after surviving against Seals, of Atlanta, who was facing his first legitimate opponent since turning pro in 2008.

Rodriguez looked like he was going to make it a very quick fight when he dropped Seals, 33, face-first with a left hand 30 seconds into the bout. It was the first time Seals has been knocked down in his career but he appeared OK. With Rodriguez pressuring him along the ropes and looking for the knockout, Seals unleashed a right hand that floored Rodriguez out of nowhere. Rodriguez was in much worse shape than Seals was when he got floored. Then the pace slowed as both were wary of the other man's power but with about 15 seconds to go, they both went to throw right hands. Seals' landed first and flush on the chin, rendering Rodriguez's body like jelly as his arms flew up in the air and he fell face-first in cartoonish fashion. He struggled to beat the count and barely did. He looked wobbly but Seals could not get off another shot before the bell ended the terrific round.

Rodriguez collected himself after the disastrous first round and with 33 seconds left in the second round, he pounded Seals with a right hand in the corner and he went down. He looked a bit out of it but managed to survive Rodriguez's round-finishing onslaught. He was not together at the beginning of the third round and when Rodriguez landed a powerful right hand to the head he staggered into the ropes and eventually collapsed to the canvas. He struggled to make it to his feet but referee Fred Steinwinder III had seen enough and waved the memorable fight off at 24 seconds. The victory could launch Rodriguez into a world title fight with PBC stablemate Adonis Stevenson, but he knew he was lucky to survive against Seals.

"Seals was really tough. I knew he was tough going into it, but he proved it," Rodriguez said. "He threw hard punches, but I did what champions do. I got back up. Anyone can go down in a fight, but it's if you get back up and how you get back up that matters. S--- happens. You just have to keep on fighting. Just like in life -- you have to be able to get back up. He caught me with some good shots, but in the end, I was able to finish him off. It was a great fight. It feels great. We were both in tremendous shape. My hat goes off to Michael Seals. We gave the fans a great show."

Seals said he injured his shoulder in the first round on one of the knockdown punches and said he would like a rematch.

"Every time I threw my jab it landed, but I dislocated my shoulder in the first round. I had him with my punches. If I had all my tools, there is no way he could have beat me," Seals said. "It was a great fight. He is a tough guy. I want a rematch. Please give it to me."

Thomas Williams Jr. TKO2 Humbero Savigne
Light heavyweights
Records: Williams (19-1, 13 KOs); Savigne (12-3, 9 KOs)

Rafael's remarks: In August 2014, Williams was a well-regarded rising prospect when he was matched with former light heavyweight titleholder Gabriel Campillo and got knocked out in the fifth round of an upset. Williams, a 28-year-old southpaw from Fort Washington, Maryland, returned four months later for a 10-round decision win against journeyman Michael Gbenga and then did not fight again for 11 months until taking on Savigne, 36, a Cuban defector living in Miami, who suffered his second consecutive second-round knockout.

This was a quick and exciting fight that featured three knockdowns -- including both getting floored in the first round -- on a card filled with knockdowns and knockouts. Williams landed a right hand to the side of the head to score the first knockdown about a minute into the fight. Savigne went down to a knee and appeared OK and a minute later he nailed Williams with a right hand to send him to his rear end. In the second round, they were throwing heavy leather when Williams caught Savigne with a nice left hand that stopped him in his tracks. He followed with another five punches to send Savigne to his backside. A wobbly Savigne jumped up immediately and was allowed to continue. Williams came right at him and they were both swinging for the fences but Williams was catching him and rocking him badly with repeated head shots when referee Keith Hughes jumped in to save Savigne from more damage at 1 minute, 48 seconds. It was short but a sweet way to open an entertaining card.

"I'm very happy with my performance," said Williams. "I haven't been in the ring in 11 months and I was ready. It felt a little different. That played a small part into me getting knocked down. I came back and fought someone with a lot of power. For me to come back and fight a fighter like him shows a lot."

Savigne, who complained that he had trouble making weight, said he got desperate after he suffered first-round knockdown.

"In the first round I felt like I was controlling the pace of the fight," Savigne said. "There was a flash knockdown and I got right back up and knocked him down. I just got a little bit desperate. I went to slug him and should have maintained my distance. The problem was, I got desperate. In my last couple of fights I haven't been able to focus."