Elvis Rodriguez continues to plead his case as the Prospect of the Year and with room to strengthen his argument.

The unbeaten junior welterweight picked up his fifth win of 2020, the latest coming in an attention grabbing 3rd round knockout of the normally durable Cameron Krael. The feat took place Friday evening, live on ESPN+ from The Bubble at MGM Grand in Las Vegas which has housed Rodriguez’s past four fights in a span of just four months.

“This is the way we want to keep progressing,” Rodriguez (10-0-1, 10KOs) told BoxingScene.com. “We just keep improving our level of opposition and continue to move forward.”

Krael had only been stopped once in his 36-fight career heading into Friday evening. That occasion came in November 2014, suffering an eight-round knockout at the hands of then-unbeaten Jamal James, who now reigns as an interim welterweight titlist. The 26-year old Las Vegas resident has since gone rounds with several notable prospects, even scoring several upsets along the way.

That changed in an instant as Rodriguez—trained by Hall of Fame cornerman Freddie Roach and who fights for Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum—made his presence felt early in their bout. Rodriguez closed the show with a right hook, flooring Krael and forcing him to take a 10-count at 0:53 of the third round. 

Rodriguez’s five fights in 2020 have lasted less than 15 rounds worth of ring time, including having been extended into the 6th round of his eventual stoppage win over Kaylyn Alfred this past February. With yet another quick hit and not expending much energy to the point of needing excessive downtime, there exists a path to add to his record before the new year.

“If we can make it happen, I would love to fight at least once or twice more in 2020,” notes Rodriguez, who—according to ESPN.com’s Steve Kim—could land on the November 14 undercard of Terence Crawford’s welterweight title defense versus former champ Kell Brook. “That is the kind of fighter I am. I am available for any opportunity, against anyone they want to put in the ring with me.”

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