Luis Arcon caught Abram Martinez with the type of punch he needed with just a few seconds left in their eight-round junior welterweight fight Saturday night.

Arcon’s knockdown very late in their bout was the difference between the unbeaten Venezuelan prospect suffering his first defeat and earning a split draw on the scorecards in a fight FOX aired as part of the Erislandy Lara-Greg Vendetti undercard from Microsoft Theater. Judge Steve Morrow scored Arcon a 76-74 winner, but Pat Russell credited Martinez for a 76-74 victory and Edward Hernandez Sr. scored the action even (75-75).

Both powerful prospects had their moments in this entertaining encounter.

Las Vegas’ Martinez (8-0-1, 6 KOs) knocked down Arcon with a counter left hook late in the second round. Arcon (10-0-1, 10 KOs) got back into the bout by boxing well in the middle rounds, survived trouble during the seventh round and finally scored a knockdown with several seconds to go in this back-and-forth fight.

Arcon knocked down Martinez with a flush, counter left hook just before the final bell rang to end the eighth round. A surprised Martinez reached his feet quickly and the bell sounded to end the fight a few seconds later.

Martinez’s right hand stunned Arcon and nearly sent him to the canvas with 1:35 to go in the seventh round. Arcon moved away from Martinez after popping up from a squatting position and shook his head to indicate he wasn’t hurt.

Arcon’s jarring jab backed Martinez into the ropes with 25 seconds left in the seventh round.

Arcon caught Martinez with a right hand that made Martinez move away from him with just under 10 seconds remaining in the sixth round. Seemingly more respectful of Martinez’s power, Arcon fought from a distance consistently during the fifth and sixth rounds and appeared to close the gap on the scorecards.

Arcon caught Martinez with a straight right hand with 1:05 to go in the fourth round. Martinez nailed Arcon with two hard, left hooks in the final 20 seconds of the fourth.

A round after flooring Arcon, Martinez snapped back Arcon’s head with a short, right hand with about 1:20 to go in the third round. Arcon retreated after absorbing that shot.

Martinez stuck out his tongue at Arcon after the bell rang to end the third round.

Arcon connected with a left hook a little less than a minute into the second round. A right hand by Arcon caught Martinez later in the second.

Arcon’s left hook knocked Martinez off balance with about 10 seconds to go in the second round. Martinez nailed Arcon with a counter left hook during an exchange that sent Arcon to the canvas several seconds before that second round ended.

A stunned Arcon got up quickly from that flush punch and the bell sounded to end the round.

Arcon and Martinez were cautious for much of the first round, when both boxers seemed to respect his opponent’s power. Martinez smiled after landing a right hand with just under 20 seconds remaining in that opening round.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.