Lomachenko stops Rodriguez in ninth round

Vasyl Lomachenko vs Galamier Rodriquez. Photo by Jun Engracia

LAS VEGAS—Ukrainian star Vasyl Lomachenko successfully defended his WBO featherweight title after stopping challenger Gamalier Rodriguez in the undercard of Mayweather-Pacquiao Saturday night (Sunday in Manila) at MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Lomachenko, the two-time Olympic champion, won a world title in just his third professional fight and improved his record to 4-1, with three knockouts.

He dropped Rodriguez twice with the second knockdown coming in the ninth round with a body shot.

The Puerto Rican Rodriguez (25-3-3), staying on one knee, failed to beat the count. The end came 50 seconds into the ninth round.

The 27-year-old Lomachenko took his time and studied Rodriguez in the first couple of rounds. Lomachenko started to impose himself in the fourth round and scored the first knockdown in the seventh round.

Leo Santa Cruz also pounded out a one-sided victory over Jose Cayetano in his featherweight debut.

Rodriguez, who was unbeaten in his last 18 consecutive fights, was penalized twice for low blows by referee Robert Byrd.

Lomachenko was beaten by similar strategies in his second pro fight, with Orlando Salido throwing low blows on the way to a narrow win in Lomachenko’s first title shot.

Lomachenko landed a body shot that unfocused Rodriguez’s eyes in the fifth. Rodriguez took a knee in the seventh and again in the ninth after a precise combination from Lomachenko, who is eager to unify the featherweight belts before moving up.

“Anyone with a title belt in my division, that’s who I want to fight,” Lomachenko said through a translator.

Santa Cruz (30-0-1) won titles in two weight classes before moving up to featherweight. AP