Middleweight prospect Amilcar Vidal rang in 2020 with another knockout victory.

Vidal battered Leopoldo Reyna in a clash of unbeaten middleweights to win during the opening round Saturday night at the Radisson Victoria Plaza in his hometown of Montevideo, Uruguay.

With the victory, Vidal improves to 11-0, 10 knockouts. The 23-year-old now has six victories by knockout in the opening stanza.

Vidal last fought on Nov. 15 in Sloan, Iowa, in another clash of unbeaten middleweights, dropping Zach Prieto twice before the fight was stopped one second before the end of the first round. The fight aired live on Showtime as part of its popular ‘ShoBox’ series.

Reyna (9-1, 4 KOs) knocked out overmatched Edgar Robles in the opening round of his last bout on Oct. 11 in his hometown of Matamoros, Mexico, where he has fought all of his pro bouts. Saturday marked the first time Reyna fought an opponent with a winning record, albeit Reyna faced an opponent who was making his debut in his second pro fight.

After Reyna walked Vidal down against the ropes, Vidal unleashed a counter left hook that staggered him. Vidal followed up with a left hook to the body, followed by a left hook to the head that staggered Reyna into a corner, where a standing eight-count was administered. After the action resumed, Reyna attempted to fight back, but another barrage of punches forced another standing eight-count.

Reyna attempted to fight back, but Vidal trapped him against the ropes, battering him until referee Alejandro Velazquez stepped in and stopped the bout at 1:19.

“We knew he was a strong Mexican opponent, but we worked very hard in the gym to prepare for him,” said Vidal in an interview on Uruguayan television after the fight. “After the first (eight-count), I knew I was going to be able to get him out of there.”

Promoter Sampson Lewkowicz told Boxingscene this past week the plan is for Vidal’s next fight to take place in the United States in April. Network executives at Showtime were impressed with Vidal’s performance and his upside.

“My family, promoter, and I are going to talk about what is next for me,” said Vidal, who will set up camp in Southern California desert city and boxing hotbed of Coachella. “We’ve worked really hard in the gym and I see the improvement with the work we have done. I hope for big things this year, especially with me potentially fighting in the United States again.”

In the co-feature between junior welterweights from Argentina, Juan Jose Velasco knocked out Leonardo Amitrano in the fifth round.

Velasco, who lost back-to-back fights by knockout to Regis Prograis and Mario Barrios, the last occurring on May 11, improves to 21-2, 13 KOs. Amitrano (16-5, 6 KOs) has now lost two of his last three bouts.

Francisco A. Salazar has written for Boxingscene since September of 2012 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (Calif.) Star newspaper. He can be reached by email at santio89@yahoo.com or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing