SAN DIEGO – Mauricio ‘Bronco’ Lara felt slighted in not fighting for a featherweight title and took out his aggression on Emilio Sanchez.

A high-contact featherweight affair saw Lara twice floor Sanchez en route to a third-round knockout. Lara dropped Sanchez midway through round one and again just before the bell to end the third round, with the fight halted on the spot by referee Ray Corona at 2:59 of round three Saturday evening at Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California.

Both fighters jawed at one another throughout a contentious fight week, complete with an intense staredown following Friday’s weigh-in. Sanchez spent every moment reminding Lara of the fight in front of him rather than the one he craved—a shot at the IBF featherweight title.

Lara earned his place in line in a big way. Sanchez was willing to trade every step of the way, but paid the price dearly as Lara floored him with a right hand midway through the opening round. Lara was wild and overaggressive in the ensuing attack, missing badly with left hooks and overhand rights while Sanchez regained his composure to the point of landing three consecutive uppercuts at the end of the round.

Sanchez looked to capitalize on that momentum in round two. His level of bravery produced terrific back-and-forth action throughout the frame, only for Lara to come roaring back and managing to rock Sanchez in the closing seconds.

Both fighters were warned for hitting on the break in a furiously paced round three that saw Lara and Sanchez hurt on separate occasions. Lara wanted to close the show in a hurry but left himself open for a right hand upstairs. Sanchez was badly hurt inside the final ten seconds of the round, detected by Lara who ended the fight with a savage left hook to put Sanchez flat on his back.

Sanchez (19-2, 12KOs) attempted to lift his head off the canvas as he was pinned under the turnbuckle in his own corner. The referee wouldn’t allow it, stopping the fight without issuing a count.

Lara is now unbeaten in his last fourteen starts as he improves to 24-2-1 (17KOs). The run includes an upset ninth-round knockout of previously unbeaten former IBF featherweight titlist Josh Warrington last February on the road in London. Their rematch took place last September in Warrington’s hometown of Leeds, England, though ending in a technical draw after two rounds when Warrington couldn’t continue due to a cut over his left eye.

Warrington managed to jump the line in challenging for his old betl, as he will next face IBF featherweight champion Kiko Martinez on March 26. Lara has made it clear that he wants the winner, which he hopes to be Warrington to settle unfinished business.

Lara-Sanchez was the co-feature of a four-fight DAZN telecast. In the evening’s main event, former four-division champion Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez (50-3, 41KOs) faces WBC flyweight titlist Julio Cesar ‘El Rey’ Martinez (18-1, 14KOs; 2ND) whose title is not at stake.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox