Welshman Jay Harris was beaten by Ricardo Sandoval by stoppage as his bid to earn another world title shot suffered a big blow in Bolton.
The delayed final eliminator for the IBF world flyweight title held by Sunny Edwards was engaging throughout before Sandoval took control in round eight.
California’s Sandoval, 22, floored Harris twice with big body shots.
The 30-year old from Swansea was unable to beat the count after the second shot and suffered a second career defeat.
Sandoval, who was an underdog coming into the contest, has only lost one professional fight and his last six bouts have now resulted in stoppage wins.
Harris lost on points against WBC world flyweight champion Julio Cesar Martinez in Texas in February 2020 but was not outclassed in a performance that saw promoter Eddie Hearn describe Harris as a “future world champion.”
The 30-year-old returned to the ring last October and successfully defended his Commonwealth title with a points victory over Marcel Braithwaite, but now slips out of contention for a world title shot.
The contest, rescheduled from May, was very even until the decisive eighth session. Harris enjoyed a good deal of success with his jab in rounds three and four, but Sandoval’s cumulative damage began to cause swelling around Harris’ left eye in the fifth.
Both fighters were briefly staggered in the seventh, but Sandoval took control in round eight with two violent left hooks to the body that sent Harris to the canvas, with the second resulting in a ten count.
