The Madison Square Garden crowd came on Saturday night to see Puerto Rican superstar Miguel Cotto, but they may have actually seen the country's next great star in the process. Featherweight prospect Jayson Velez moved to 20-0 with a dominant victory over Salvador Sanchez II via Round 3 stoppage. It was the 15th career knockout victory for Velez, who connected on 50% of his power shots in the whitewash.
It was totally one-sided from the opening bell, with Velez the much faster and stronger fighter by a longshot. Velez wasted no times, taking it to Sanchez with vicious combinations from the outset and not relenting. He floored Sanchez late in the second round, with only the bell saving him. Unfortunately for Sanchez, the third round came quickly, and Velez went right for the kill.
Sanchez went down just eight seconds into the third round, but was able to get up and give it one more go. Unable to clinch or avoid Velez's brutal power shots, Sanchez took another barrage and forced referee Harvey Dock to call a halt to things at 38 seconds of Round 3.
The win sets the unbeaten Puerto Rican up for a world title shot with the WBC's featherweight belt holder Daniel Ponce De Leon. Sanchez fell to 30-5-3.