Amir Mansour knocks out Fred Kassi on NBC Sports Network

Amir Mansour was able to outbox Fred Kassi in a showcase fight for the 42-year-old heavyweight, then knocked him out cold at 2:17 of the seventh round with a brutal right hook.

Mansour (21-1, 16 KO) was simply better than Kassi (18-3, 10 KO), which was the expectation going into the fight. This was a return to NBC Sports Network for a fighter who earned a victory lap sort of fight after his last performance against Steve Cunningham, which was a loss, but a very good fight.

But the finishing blow, a counter right hook, was truly brutal. Kassi was dropped face-first to the canvas, and remained out after the fight. He was then responsive, and after it appearing he'd be stretchered out, he made it to his stool.

It's a nice win for Mansour, and keeps him in the mix at heavyweight, at least as much as he was before the fight.

Dmitry Mikhaylenko TKO-9 Ronald Cruz

Referee Steve Smoger and the doctor made the decision to stop this after the ninth round, as Mikhaylenko (18-0, 7 KO) just kept popping Cruz (20-5, 15 KO) in his right eye until it was cut bad enough that they decided to stop it. It was an active fight, competitive early, but Mikhaylenko took over as the rounds wore on, and Cruz dropped his third straight.

Vasily Lepikhin UD-10 Jackson Junior

Scores were 96-94, 97-93, and 97-93, maybe the latter two a bit generous for Lepikhin, who stays unbeaten at 17-0 (9 KO). But the 29-year-old Russian light heavyweight prospect did struggle some here, and Junior (15-1, 13 KO) was able to get some work done on the inside. BLH had it 95-95, and I could have seen it swing a round in Lepikhin's favor, sure. Not unfair scores, but could have just as easily been the other man's hand raised.