By Keith Idec

FRISCO, Texas – Oscar Valdez’s return to the ring was nothing at all like his previous fight.

Mexico’s Valdez knocked down Italy’s Carmine Tommasone four times on his way to stopping the overmatched optional challenger in the seventh round Saturday night. Valdez scored two knockdowns during the fourth round and a knockdown apiece in the sixth and seventh rounds, before referee Mark Nelson understandably stopped what was becoming a brutal beating nine seconds into the seventh round.

Valdez (25-0, 20 KOs) made the fifth defense of his WBO featherweight title in a fight ESPN aired from Ford Center at The Star, the Dallas Cowboys’ training facility.

Tommasone (19-1, 5 KOs) entered the bout unbeaten, but clearly was in over his head against the heavily favored Valdez. The 2016 Olympian is rated No. 14 by the WBO among its challengers for Valdez’s championship.

Valdez fought for the first time since grinding his way through a broken jaw to beat Scott Quigg nearly 11 months ago. The gutsy Valdez suffered a broken jaw in the fifth round against Quigg, but he still won a 12-round unanimous decision March 10 at Stub Hub Center in Carson, California.

The 28-year-old Valdez also boxed with respected trainer Eddy Reynoso in his corner for the first time. Valdez hired Reynoso, most known for working with Canelo Alvarez, while he was recovering from his broken jaw.

Valdez wasted no time finishing off Tommasone early in the seventh round. He sent Tommasone to the canvas for the fourth time in the one-sided fight by landing a vicious right uppercut that dropped Tommasone seven seconds into it.

Valdez knocked down Tommasone for the third time in the fight with a jarring jab at the 2:08 mark of the sixth round.

A right hand by Valdez dropped Tommasone 52 seconds into the fourth round. Tommasone tried to fight back once he got up, but Valdez grazed him with a sweeping left to the body that made Tommasone’s right knee briefly touch the canvas when there were 14 seconds to go in the fourth.

Tommasone tried to work off his jab and boxed Valdez, but he couldn’t keep the stronger Valdez from moving forward and couldn’t land anything that affected Valdez.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.