NEW YORK – Cain Sandoval showed that his power is legitimate Thursday night.

Sandoval, a 21-year-old junior welterweight prospect from Sacramento, became the first opponent to stop durable veteran Wesley Ferrer inside the distance on the Callum Walsh-Ismael Villarreal undercard in The Theater at Madison Square Garden. Sandoval (11-0, 11 KOs) dropped Ferrer in the first round and mostly battered him until referee Eric Dali ended their scheduled 10-rounder at 1:34 of the fifth round.

Ferrer displayed toughness throughout their bout and remained on his feet when Dali halted the action. Brooklyn’s Ferrer (17-2-1, 8 KOs) previously lost an eight-round majority decision to Steven Ortiz (then 8-0) and settled for an eight-round split draw with Will Madera (then 11-0).

A brave Ferrer fired back with right hooks while he was backed into a neutral corner in the opening minute of the fifth round. Soon thereafter, though, Dali had seen enough and did his best to protect Ferrer from taking unnecessary punishment.

Dali asked Ferrer’s handlers if they wanted him to continue as soon as the fourth round ended. By then, the area around Ferrer’s right eye was bloodied and swollen.

Sandoval blasted Ferrer with back-to-back right uppercuts while Ferrer was backed into the ropes with just over a minute to go in the fourth round.

Dali called for a break with 1:03 to go in the third round when Sandoval landed a low blow from which Ferrer needed time to recover.

A left hook by Sandoval knocked Ferrer off balance with just over 2:10 to go in the second round. Ferrer remained on his feet throughout the second round, though, but Sandoval never stopped pressing the action.

Sandoval drilled Ferrer with a right hand that stunned him with just over a minute to go in the first round. Ferrer came forward anyway and Sandoval made him pay by landing another picture-perfect right hand that knocked Ferrer to the canvas.

A stunned Ferrer beat Dali’s count and managed to fight and hold his way to the end of the opening round.

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