Matthysse retains WBC title with first-round KO

Lucas Matthysse stopped Mike Dallas Jr. with a devastating straight right hand at 2:36 of the first round Saturday night in his first defense of the WBC interim super lightweight championship.

Neither fighter had done much damage when Matthysse slipped a punch and landed a short right hand that sent Dallas face-first into the canvas at the Hard Rock Hotel. Matthysse flashed a big smile and watched referee Robert Byrd stop the fight as Dallas lay motionless.

"I was so relaxed. I was waiting for my opportunity to land a shot,'' Matthysse said. "I was waiting for him to throw his left, then he ducked and I connected with the right.''

The Argentine fighter improved to 33-2 with his 31st knockout, possibly putting him in position for a shot at WBC and WBA super lightweight champion Danny Garcia or countryman Marcos Maidana.

"I want Danny Garcia and all the top fighters at 140 [pounds],'' Matthysse said. "I hope he doesn't avoid me.''

The undefeated Garcia will face former champion Zab Judah on Feb. 9. Matthysse was handed one of his two losses in a controversial split decision to Judah and also would welcome a rematch if he was to prevail.

"Zab Judah has a great chance to win. This is boxing and anything can happen,'' Matthysse said.

Dallas dropped to 19-3-1.

On the undercard, Jesus Soto Karass earned a majority decision over highly ranked super welterweight Selcuk Aydin. Soto Karass was the busier fighter throughout and used his length and excellent boxing skills to control the match. The judges scored the bout 97-93, 97-93 and 95-95.

Super welterweight prospect Jermell Charlo improved to 19-0 with an eighth-round TKO over Harry Joe Yorgey, and Francisco Vargas reached 14-0-1 with a second-round knockout against Ira Terry. Chad Bennet stopped Ben Ankrah in the third round, and 2012 U.S. Olympian Errol Spence Jr. stopped Nathan Butcher in the first round to improve to 3-0 - all by knockout.