LAS VEGAS – Middleweight prospect Marco Verde kicked off the card headlined by stablemate Canelo Alvarez’s fight against Terence Crawford on Saturday by dropping and stopping Sona Akale in four rounds at Allegiant Stadium.

Verde (3-0, 2 KOs), a 2024 Olympics silver medalist for Mexico trained and managed by Eddy Reynoso, battered and bruised Akale for the entirety of the fight. The one-sided encounter prompted referee Mark Nelson to step in and stop the action at the 1:11 mark of the fourth, much to the displeasure of Akale (9-4, 4 KOs).

The bout was scheduled for six rounds, but Akale didn’t appear equipped to change the tide of the fight.

A left hook from Verde to the body of Akale followed by a right cross to the head knocked out his mouthpiece midway through the second. Nelson halted the action to get the mouthpiece back in, but the southpaw Verde realized Akale was shaken and pounced to land a combination that was capped off by another head-rattling right hook that dropped Akale.

After another Verde-controlled round three, the 23-year-old from Mazatlan, dominated the fourth and landed a straight left hand through the guard, prompting Nelson to stop the fight.

Akale was incredibly displeased and was heard saying, “Oh my god. What are you doing? What is that?” as he paced around the ring.

Verde was confident a stoppage was around the corner for the rough and rugged Akale.

“We had a strategy to finish the fight, but it happened that way,” said Verde. “I'm very happy. This is what I am looking for, to have more experience and take it all the way to the top.”

Akale, most known for handing Nico Ali Walsh the first loss of his career in 2023, was a late-replacement opponent for Verde and suffered his third loss in a row.