But when the dust settled, it was Lopez who stood tall, overcoming a late knockdown to drop and stop Gallegos with 19 seconds left in the eighth round in a ProBox main event at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida.

Lopez, who entered the bout ranked No. 7 by the WBA, improved to 16-0 with 13 knockouts. The 26-year-old from Atlanta has won five straight fights by stoppage. Gallegos, 28, fell to 22-4-1 with 19 knockouts. The Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, native has lost three of his last five fights.

Neither fighter wasted time turning the 10-round light heavyweight clash into a firefight. Lopez got off to a scorching start, establishing a blistering jab and landing a big straight right hand and left hook not even a minute into the fight. In the waning moments of the first round, he landed a pair of huge right uppercuts that appeared to hurt Gallegos.

A clash of heads gave Lopez a cut on the outside of his right eye early in the second round. The momentum shifted between them, though, Gallegos fared better, landing power shots as Lopez’s eye started to swell and kept bleeding. Lopez ended the round strong again, connecting with a big straight right hand while Gallegos was along the ropes and he followed up with more power shots as he tried to get away.

Lopez’s eye was checked before the third and fourth rounds by the ringside doctor, but was allowed to continue.

The close-quarter battle continued into the third and fourth rounds, as both fighters connected with power shots, though Lopez's right eye continued to swell and bleed. Lopez got away from his jab which helped Gallegos work his way back into the fight.

The fifth was one of Gallegos’ best, as he connected with power shots to the head and did quality work downstairs. Lopez also landed his power, but his right eye continued to bother him as the bleeding persisted and he squinted and wiped it more. He also took some deep breaths in the latter stages of the round.

Lopez came out with a sense of urgency, pushing Gallegos to the ropes and connecting with left and right hooks. Gallegos had success landing power punches as well, and both fighters traded shots in the final 30 seconds as the action somehow reached another level.

The action was frantic to start the seventh, as Lopez hurt Gallegos with a straight right hand. Lopez pressed forward but paid the price and got dropped with an overhand right as he was throwing a straight right hand of his own. Lopez rose immediately and showed no lingering effects, doing better work for the duration of the round.

The frantic pace and action continued in the eighth. Lopez hurt Gallegos with a counter overhand right over his straight right hand, bringing the crowd to a fever pitch. Gallegos was reeling as blood poured from under his right eye. Lopez pressed the action and battered him as he tried to get away along the ropes.

After a barrage of punches, Lopez finally landed a straight right hand that sent Gallegos to the canvas and referee Christopher Young stopped it with 19 seconds left in the round.