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WBC light middle titlist Saul Alvarez kept hold of his belt for the second time with a sixth round finishing against veteran challenger Alfonso Gomez at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Former WBA welter title challenger Gomez started off by pressuring Alvarez, at 21 nine years younger than Gomez, but the champion proved able to outbox the challenger during the exchanges, highlighted by Gomez hitting the deck at the end of the first frame.
Undaunted, Gomez continued his advance in the second, this time working behind the jab as he and Alvarez traded right hands and lefts to the body. Alvarez remained cautious, letting Gomez lead and content to counter when the opportunity presented itself.
Gomez amped up the pressure in the third, trying to force Alvarez into a brawl. But the champion remained composed, holding back aside from the occasional jab and counter flurry. Gomez focused a lot of jabs to the body but only a few of his right hands had glancing effectiveness.
In the face of Gomez’s committed advance, Alvarez started opening up in the fourth and as a result was caught with some right hands as Gomez had succeeded in making the champion engage in a brawl. Alvarez did get in his fair share of offense, firing off snappy combinations and fining success particularly with good lefts to Gomez’s midsection.
The action got more intense in the fifth but broke wide open in the sixth when Alvarez nailed Gomez with a perfect right uppercut followed with a right to the temple and suddenly the challenger was reeling across the ring.
Alvarez gave chase and rained in a two-fisted assault that convinced referee Wayne Hedgpeth to wave off the bout at 2:36 of the sixth.
Alvarez moves to 38-0-1 (28) while Gomez falls to 23-5-2 (12).
