Flanagan stops Cruz in 8th to keep WBO lightweight belt

Britain’s Terry Flanagan, left and Puerto Rico’s Orlando Cruz in action, during their WBO World Lightweight Championship fight, at the Cardiff Motorpoint Arena, in Cardiff, Wales, Saturday Nov. 26, 2016. Nick Potts/PA via AP

CARDIFF, Wales — Orlando Cruz of Puerto Rico will have to wait to become the first openly gay boxer to win a world title after being stopped in the eighth round by WBO lightweight champion Terry Flanagan on Saturday.

Flanagan, a British fighter, improved his professional record to 32-0 with a successful fourth defense of the belt by knocking Cruz to the canvas twice in the same round in Cardiff.

Referee Steve Gray called a halt to proceedings after a powerful right hand from Flanagan.

This was the 35-year-old Cruz’s 10th bout since declaring his homosexuality in public in 2012, but it was his first in this weight class. His record dropped to 25-5-1.