By Francisco Salazar
Middleweight contender Rob Brant is displaying more of his power in recent fights.
He did so again on Friday night.
Brant stopped Alexis Hloros in the opening round before an overflow crowd of over 3,000 at the Grand Casino in Hinckley, Minn.
Brant, who is ranked number three by the WBA and number five by the WBO, improves to 22-0, 15 KOs.
Hloros, who took the fight last week when original opponent George Carter Jr. withdrew from the fight due to injury, falls to 18-6-2, 12 KOs.
Brant was in control of the action from the opening bell, beating Hloros to the punch. A left hook to the body from Brant dropped Hloros to the canvas.
Hloros was able to get up at the count of nine, but was in condition to continue, prompting the fight to be stopped at 2:53.
Hard-hitting junior middleweight Skender Halili (13-1, 13 KOs) stopped Romon Barber (7-13, 6 KOs) in the fifth round. Halili has won his last five bouts.
Junior lightweight Duarn Vue (11-0-2, 4 KOs) stopped hard-hitting Lance Williams (7-7, 7 KOs) in the second round.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for Boxingscene.com since September of 2012 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County Star (Calif.) newspaper, RingTV and Knockout Nation. He can be reached by email at santio89@yahoo.com or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing
