SAN JACINTO, Calif. (AP) -WBO welterweight champion Paul Williams stopped Andy Kolle in the first round, and heavyweight hopeful Chris Arreola beat Israel Garcia when the referee stopped the fight in the third round Thursday night at Soboba Casino.
Williams (35-1, 26 KOs) finished off Kolle (17-2, 12 KOs) with a double right hook to the body and a left to the chin that knocked the middleweight through the ropes about midway through the first round.
``He was good enough to land his punches but I wanted to see if he could take my punches,'' said Williams, who weighed 157 pounds.
Unable to find a suitable opponent at the 147-pound level, Williams was placed against the 160-pound Kolle to see what he could do against a heavier fighter who stood at his height.
In the heavyweight bout, Arreola (25-0, 22 KOs) arrived at the heaviest weight of his pro career at 228 pounds and dominated Garcia (19-2, 11 KOs).
``I was lifting weights too much and lifting too many burritos,'' Arreola said.
From the first round it was obvious that Arreola had the quicker hands. Arreola punched at will with little in return.
In the third round, Arreola landed a left and right to the body followed by an uppercut that wobbled Garcia.
Arreola then fired several punches with nothing in return from Garcia. The fight was halted at the 1:11 mark of the round.
``I could see it in his eyes that he was hurt,'' Arreola said.
