Miguel Cotto stopped Delvin Rodriguez in the third round Saturday night in a junior middleweight bout at Amway Center in Orlando, Fla.
Cotto improved to 38-4 with his 31st knockout, working quickly in his first fight since losing by unanimous decision to Austin Trout in December. Rodriguez dropped to 28-7-3.
Cotto attacked Rodriguez from the sound of the bell, going after him with left hooks to the body. Near the end of the second round, Cotto landed a strong combination, finishing with a left hook to the head that staggered Rodriguez. The Puerto Rican star finished off his opponent with a flurry of head shots that put Rodriguez to the canvas, with referee Frank Santore Jr. stopping it 18 seconds into the third round.
Cotto ended a two-fight losing streak to possibly set up a bout with Canelo Alvarez, the Mexican fighter who lost a majority decision to Floyd Mayweather last month.
Klitschko retains titles
Wladimir Klitschko retained his WBA and IBF heavyweight titles, unanimously outpointing previously undefeated Alexander Povetkin in Moscow.
Klitschko knocked down Povetkin three times in the seventh round.
All three judges ruled 119-104 for Klitschko (61-3). Povetkin lost for the first time in 27 fights.