Omar Figuero stopped Abner Cotto in the first round to win the vacant NABA and WBC Fecarbox lightweight titles Saturday night at the Alamodome.
Fighting on the undercard of the super welterweight world title unification bout between Canelo Alvarez and Austin Trout, Figuero knocked out Cotto with 3 seconds remaining in the round.
Figuero, from of Weslaco, improved to 21-0-1 with his 17 knockout. He knocked down Cotto (16-1) twice, finishing the Puerto Rican fighter with a left hook to the body and a left hook to the nose. Cotto, the second-cousin of former world champion Miguel Cotto, was unable to rise prior to the 10-count.
Wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with ''My (heart) is with Boston,'' Figueroa electrified the crowd of 39,247 by pressing the action against Cotto (16-1).
''I got hit, but it was part of the stalking process,'' Figueroa said. ''I knew I hurt him. I could tell my body shots hurt him. I was just waiting for the next opportunity.''
Also on the undercard, Houston's Jermall Charlo (13-0) dominated Mexican veteran Orlando Lora to win by fifth-round TKO in their super welterweight bout. Pummeled from the opening bell, Lora (29-4-2) failed to come out following the fifth round.
