By Allan Fox: Former WBC/WBO middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik (38-2, 33 KO’s) came back in an impressive fashion on Saturday night, stopping Aaron Jaco (15-3, 5 KO’s) in the 2nd round of a scheduled 10 round bout at the Illusions Theater in San Antonio, Texas.

Pavlik, 29, flattened Jaco in the 1st with a big left hand. Pavlik continued to batter the light hitting Jaco at will until taking him out in the 2nd round with a left hook to the head that dropped Jaco to the canvas. Jaco staggered back to his feet but when referee Jon Shorle asked Jaco if he wanted to continue, he said “I’m done.”

Pavlik looked good in the 1st round, jabbing Jaco frequently to the head and following him around the ring. Jaco looked terrified and threw almost no punches in the round other than a few half-hearted jabs and several shots at the very end of the round when Pavlik seemed to be relaxing for a second. The round started with Pavlik landing a big left hook that sent Jaco flying into the ropes. Had the ropes not supported him, Jaco would have been on the canvas for sure. Some referees would have ruled that as a knockdown because of the ropes supporting Jaco. Later on in the round, Pavlik hit Jaco with a short powerful left hook that badly hurt him causing him to take a knee in delayed fashion. He made it up at the count of eight and was immediately taking incoming fire from Pavlik. Jaco tried to throw jabs in self defense but Pavlik picked them off on his guard each time. Pavlik finished the round with a strong chopping right hand to the head.

In the 2nd round, Pavlik landed two jabs, a left uppercut and a left hook to the head that sent Jaco to the canvas for the 2nd and final time in the fight. The fight was then halted as soon as Jaco staggered back to his feet.

This was Pavlik’s first fight since defeating Alfonso Lopez by a 10 round majority decision last year in May. Pavlik struggled in that fight to earn a close decision. Tonight, however, Pavlik had no problems dominating Jaco with his power shots and the outcome was never in doubt.