FRISCO, TEXAS - In a high stakes welterweight showdown, knockout sensation Vergil Ortiz (18-0, 18 KOs) stopped Egidijus Kavaliauskas (22-2-1, 18 KOs) in the eight round after five knockdowns.
All 17 of Ortiz's previous opponents were unable to last beyond the seventh.
The fight started at a tactical pace, with both working off the jab. In the second round, Kavaliauskas rocked Ortiz bad with an uppercut and had him in big trouble. Kavaliauskas tried finishing him, with Ortiz rallying with a punch that hurt 'Mean Machine' to the body.
Kavaliauskas came out jabbing in the third and Ortiz was playing it safe with a high guard. Kavaliauskas rocked Ortiz with a good shot, but then Ortiz was firing back and dropped Kavaliauskas at the bell with a big left hand shot.
Ortiz was boxing well against Kavaliauskas in the fifth. Kavaliauskas did better in the sixth when he buzzed Ortiz with a good shot. They were trading big shots in the seventh. Ortiz was jabbing well and peppering Kavaliauskas.
During the eight, a big shot to the body sent Kavaliauskas down for the second time in the fight. A few moments later a left hook sent Kavaliauskas down for a third time. And then there was a fourth knockdown when Ortiz went after him. Ortiz went after him with a barrage of shots and Kavaliauskas went for the fifth time and the fight was waved off.
