Josesito Lopez made it two straight wins tonight on a special Thursday edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights, stopping Aron Martinez in the sixth round of their welterweight main event.
Lopez (32-6, 19 KO) came out fast, fighting like he never wanted to be on ESPN2 again in his career, as he looks to make his way back to the bigger fights in the welterweight division. The stoppage in round six came when Martinez (19-3-1, 4 KO) deliberately turned his back to the action after absorbing some more punishment from Lopez, then reacted in a miffed manner when referee Jack Reiss stopped the fight. We've seen it before, we'll see it again. Lopez was dominating the fight and Martinez gave Reiss little option but to call it off.
In the TV co-feature, light heavyweight prospect Thomas Williams Jr was impressive in disposing of tough veteran Enrique Ornelas at 2:48 of the third round, running his record to 17-0 (12 KO). Williams, 26, dropped Ornelas (34-9, 22 KO) in the second round, then finished him off with another knockdown in the third.
"Top Dogg" is making himself an intriguing prospect every time out, and while Ornelas is far from a legit contender, this is just the second time he's ever been stopped, and the first time in a decade. Over that time period, he's faced the likes of Bernard Hopkins, Beibut Shumenov, and Robert Stieglitz, none of whom finished him.