Richard Torrez Jr. finally went some rounds—but not to the scorecards.

The 2020 Olympic Silver medalist for the U.S. worked hard to preserve his perfect knockout-to-win mark with an eighth-round stoppage over Curtis Harper. Torrez let his hands go late in the fight as Harper was pinned along the ropes to prompt the stoppage at 2:03 of round eight Saturday evening on ESPN+ from Charles F. Dodge City Center in Pembroke Pines, Florida.

There was the risk of a stinker, given Harper’s negative fighting style at this stage of his journeyman career. The 35-year-old heavyweight spent every round plodding and refused to let his hands go.

Torrez was still made to put in work for his eighth pro win, though more so through pushing around a heavyweight with more than 40 pounds on him. The 24-year-old from Tulare, California was steady with his jab and caused damage with his quick left hand over the top. Harper took punishment to the point where referee Samuel Burgos warned his corner prior to the seventh round that he needed to see something to avoid a stoppage.

It appeared that Harper would make it to the final bell as the fight entered the eighth and final round. Torrez picked his spots but didn’t exert himself and also had to overcome a cut over his right eye from a clash of heads.

The sight of his own blood seemed to fuel Torrez, who pinned Harper in a corner and unloaded a bushel of power shots. Harper (14-11, 9KOs) failed to respond, which triggered the stoppage.

Torrez advanced to 8-0 (8KOs). The fight marked his first past three rounds.

Torrez-Harper aired on ESPN+ as part of a six-fight preliminary undercard. Headlining the main ESPN card, double Olympic Gold medalist and current WBO featherweight titlist Robeisy Ramirez (13-1, 8KOs) attempts his second defense versus Guadalajara’s Rafael Espinoza (21-0, 18KOs).

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. X (formerly Twitter): @JakeNDaBox