LAS VEGAS – Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington sent exactly the type of statement he hoped to deliver to fellow featherweights Saturday.

The unbeaten Brooklyn native became the first fighter to knock out Enrique Vivas in the durable Mexican’s 27-fight, 10-year professional career. Carrington (15-0, 9 KOs) dropped Vivas once in the second round and landed several flush punches in the ensuing round that prompted referee Raul Caiz Jr. to stop their scheduled 10-round, 126-pound WBC elimination match 53 seconds into the third round.

Vivas (23-4, 12 KOs) had only previously lost 10-round decisions to Ruben Villa, Eduardo Baez and Joet Gonzalez.

Carrington, 27, hopes his impressive victory leads to a title shot next.

Carrington, ranked No. 8 among The Ring’s featherweight contenders, is rated No. 1 by both the WBC and WBO, No. 2 by the WBA and No. 4 by the IBF. He told The Ring before his victory over Vivas that he thinks England’s Nick Ball (22-0-1, 13 KOs), who owns the WBA belt, would be the most willing champion to fight him.

Defeating Vivas should solidify him as the WBC’s mandatory challenger for Philadelphia’s Fulton, though. Fulton (23-1, 8 KOs) won his WBC belt by beating Brandon Figueroa (25-2-1, 19 KOs) by unanimous decision in their rematch February 1 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Vivas crowded Carrington in the second round, but Carrington caught him with a right hand that sent Vivas down with 1:19 to go in the second round. Vivas answered Caiz’s count quickly, which only led to Carrington assaulting him with an array of power punches.

Vivas survived the second round, but he didn’t last long into the third round. Caiz stepped between them to halt the one-sided action because Vivas wasn’t throwing punches back at Carrington.

Vivas’ right hand caught Carrington in an exchange with about 50 seconds to go in the first round. Carrington connected with a right uppercut about a minute into their fight.