by Rick Reeno

Home Depot Center, Carson, California - Marcos Maidana (34-3, 31KOs) had some tough moments but he sucked it up and stopped Josesito Lopez (30-6, 18KOs) in the sixth round of a war.

It didn't take before both sluggers were trading hard punches. In the second round, Lopez was stunned from a Maidana right hand but managed to fight his way out of danger, but Maidana landed several more shots before the round was over.

After Maidana controlled the second, Lopez came back strong with a montser third where he hurt Maidana with several hard shots. In the fourth, Lopez continued to drill Maidana with hard shots to the head and body, stunning the tough Argentine boxer several times as the entire arena stood up to cheer Josesito on.

In the fifth, it was Maidna who came roaring back in the final minute with multiple combinations as he pinned Lopez against the ropes.

In the sixth, a hard counter by Maidana dropped Lopez to his knees. Lopez made it up but then Maidana pinned him against the ropes and let his hands fly - nailing Lopez with multiple hard shots to force the referee to step in and wave off the contest as Lopez was reeling from the damage.

At the time of the TKO, Lopez was ahead on two cards 48-47 and Maidana was up 48-47 on the third.