By Jake Donovan

Broomfield, Colo. -- Brandon Rios delivered perhaps the best performance of his career, while functionally ending Mike Alvarado's in the process after a merciless and humiliating three-round beatdown Saturday evening at 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, Colorado. 

The fight was all one way, with Rios looking like the fire-breathing dragon that once stormed to the lightweight title.

The lone knockdown of the bout came in round three. Rios scored with uppercuts and left hooks, willing Alvarado to the canvas for a nine-count. 

Alvarado managed to make it out of the round, but his body language screamed of a fighter who was no longer interested in continuing. The ringside doctor did that favor for him, not liking the fighter's reaction after his brief examination, informing referee Jay Nady to stop the contest.

The official time was 3:00 of round three. 

Rios soars to 33-2-2 (24KOs); Alvarado falls to 34-4 (23KOs), having now quit in each of his past two fights in (or just outside) his hometown.

The fight aired live on HBO Boxing After Dark. 

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene.com, as well as a member of Transnational Boxing Ratings Board and the Boxing Writers Association of America. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox