LOS ANGELES - Joe Smith, Jr. (23-1, 19 KOs) retained his WBC International Light Heavyweight Title with a technical knockout victory after sending Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins (55-8-2, 32 KOs) through the ropes in the eighth round.

Hopkins was unable to get back into the ring after sustaining an injury to his ankle, and the fight was stopped at 53 seconds into round eight.

"It feels great, it's the best feeling in the world to accomplish something I set out for and wanted to do," said Joe Smith, Jr. "I had seen him every time I threw the right hand, he was throwing the left. I had seen him fall, and I kept hitting him until I saw him go out, and I landed that left hook until he went out. I knew he had time to go out, but I hit him with four or five clean shots and they were good shots on the button."

"I knew he was a true champion, and if he didn't get injured he'd be back here. I came here to do my job, and this is my coming out party too. I had to finish him, it was either my career was going to end and his was going to end, but I needed mine to continue."

"I'm going to get back in the gym and train hard for my next opponent. I'm up for anything. I have lots of respect for Bernard. He is a true champion. Lots of people love Bernard and still will because he's a true champion."

For the evening's co-main event, Joseph "Jojo" Diaz, Jr. (23-0, 13 KOs) was put to the test with veteran Horacio "Violento" Garcia (30-2-1, 21 KOs). After going the distance in 10 rounds, Diaz, Jr. was handed a victory by the judges with a win by unanimous decision to retain his NABF Featherweight title.

The evening's televised opening bout live on HBO World Championship Boxing, Oleksandr Usyk (11-0, 9 KOs) went toe to toe with Thabiso Mchunu (17-3, 11 KOs), with Usyk dominating the fight and pushing his opponent to go the distance. Ultimately, Usyk wore Mchunu down and ended the bout by technical knockout in the ninth round at the 1:53 mark to retain his WBO Cruiserweight title.

Brazil's hottest export, Yamaguchi Falcao (12-0, 5 KOs) faced German Perez (10-3-3, 3 KOs) in a scheduled 10 round super middleweight bout that only made it into the first 27 seconds of the first round. It only took mere seconds for Falcao to send Perez to the ropes, causing him to fall and injure his leg, maintaining Falcao's undefeated status.