By Chris Williams: World Boxing Association light welterweight interim champion Marcos Maidana (28-1, 27 KO’s) was too strong for previously unbeaten Victor Cayo (24-1, 16 KO’s) stopping him in the 6th round on Saturday night at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the 6th round, Maidana landed a short right hand to the midsection of Cayo, causing him to fall to the canvas in pain. Referee Joe Cortez stopped the bout at 1:38 when it became clear that Cayo wasn’t going to be able to make it up from the knockdown.

This was one of those kinds of fights where the loser doesn’t lose a whole lot even in defeat. Cayo looked very good for much of the fight, showing good power, and an ability to stand and trade with the more powerful Maidana. Cayo gave Maidana a lot of problems during rounds one through five. Maidana, 26, dropped Cayo after the bell at the end of the 2nd round with a hard left hook to the head.

Referee Joe Cortez still counted the knockdown, even though it was pretty obvious that it came after the bell. After the knockdown, Cayo, visibly hurt, staggered back to his corner. Before the knockdown, Cayo was mostly having his way with Maidana, backing up with nice combinations, and catching Maidana repeatedly with shots as he was coming forward trying to land. Maidana looked slightly flustered until being backed up against the ropes and unleashing a big left hook that dropped Cayo. The knockdown showed how powerful Maidana is at close range. He was able to get an enormous amount of power on the shot, which didn’t travel more than a couple of feet at best

In the 3rd round, Cayo fought remarkably well, showing no ill effects from his knockdown. He ended up dominating the entire round until the waning seconds where Maidana was able to land some punishing combinations to the head. Cayo continued to look really good in the 4th round, landing well as Maidana would come forward. Cayo was able to hit Maidana repeatedly as he would come in trying to land.

However, Maidana still was able to get an occasional big shot in and his punches were very powerful, making a loud booming sound when they would land. Cayo had his way with Maidana until the last seconds of the round at which time Maidana got in close and blasted Cayo with some tremendous uppercuts and right hands to the head. The shots snapped Cayo’s head back as if he was hit with a sledgehammer. Still, Cayo continued to trade shots with the stronger Maidana.

The 5th round was mostly Cayo’s round, as he threw a lot of punches, landing most of them to the head of Maidana. However, Maidana looked like car that was just getting warmed up. While Cayo was having to fight at full bore to keep the Argentinean off him, Maidana looked like he was just getting started and picking up steam. Sure enough, in the 6th round, Maidana looked like a totally different fighter, loading up with everything and battering Cayo from one side of the ring to another.

Things quickly got out of hand early in the round, as Cayo couldn’t keep the more powerful Maidana away, and began to take a lot of punishment. Finally, Maidana landed a short powerful right hand to the midsection of Cayo while the two fighters were standing in close. Cayo immediately went down on the canvas in pain. The fight was then stopped by referee Joe Cortez.

Maidana looked very powerful in this fight, and it’s hard to imagine WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan being able to keep from getting knocked out by Maidana. Khan isn’t rugged enough in my estimation for him to take the kinds of shots that Maidana was landing last night. Indeed, I think Khan would have been stopped in the 1st or 2nd round last night, because Maidana was throwing really hard punches, a lot harder than the shots that Breidis Prescott was landing on Khan when he stopped Amir in the 1st round in 2008.

In beating Cayo, it keeps Maidana on course for a future fight with Khan. I have doubts that Khan will ever take the fight when it comes, and will instead choose to vacate his title rather than face what could end up being an almost certain knockout loss. Khan will be facing the light hitting Paulie Malignaggi in May rather than face Maidana. Incidentally, Malignaggi thinks he would beat Maidana if they were to fight. After watching the power punching display from Maidana last night, I would give Malignaggi no chance whatsoever of beating Maidana. I don’t think Malignaggi could even beat Cayo. I see Malignaggi being stopped by Maidana in a round or two.