Marcos Maidana spoiled Victor Ortiz's coming-out party, winning a slugfest to capture the interim WBA super-lightweight championship at the famed Staples Center.

Ortiz is one of Golden Boy Promotions' prized prospects and came into the bout riding a lot of hype. He was the focus of the entire promotion, and Maidana was just a footnote. But Maidana, making his U.S. debut, made himself known to the boxing world with his stunning sixth-round stoppage of Ortiz.

It was a fight that featured five knockdowns as both fighters swung for the fences from the opening bell.

"I went down, but I got up with all my heart," Maidana said. "I saw Victor felt my punches and I said I know I'm going to win this fight, he is a very experienced veteran. He packs some power in those punches." Ortiz said

Maidana threw wild looping punches with his entire body weight behind every shot. Ortiz was the more technically sound fighter, but he abandoned a patient attack and chose to trade with the dangerous Argentinean.

Both fighters tasted the canvas in the first round. Ortiz dropped Maidana to one knee with a right hook. Maidana picked himself off the canvas and unloaded a right hand that floored Ortiz. Ortiz was in trouble, wobbling around the ring and fighting for his survival.

It looked as if Maidana (26-1, 25 KO's) was going to continue his assault in the second round, but Ortiz seemed to thrive under the pressure. A left hook buckled Ortiz's legs before Ortiz answered with a huge right that levelled Maidana.

Ortiz (24-2-1, 19 KO's) swarmed Maidana, and he went down under a barrage of punches in the closing seconds of the round.

Both fighters managed to remain upright in the third, fourth and fifth rounds even though they continued to take turns landing one devastating shot after another. The fifth round featured the best exchanges of the fight, and Maidana got the best of them.

Ortiz had a cut on his right eyelid after the fifth round and things got even worse in the sixth. Maidana connected a right hand to the left side of Ortiz's face in the opening seconds of the sixth. Ortiz's left eye swelled immediately and Maidana continued to batter Ortiz until a left hook to the body finally put Ortiz down.

Referee Raul Caiz Sr. had Doctor Paul Wallace take a look at Ortiz, and he advised Caiz to stop the fight. Ortiz was ahead by three points on all three judges' scorecards at the time of the stoppage.

"I came out with everything to finish him in that last round," Maidana said.

KICKETT KNOCKED OUT BY BRONER

On the undercard Australian "Cool" Willie Kickett (15-2, 5 KO's) knocked out by Golden Boy Promotion's lightweight prospect Adrien "The Problem" Broner.

Kickett caused the American problems early on with his clean countering and classy footwork but this fight came several fights too soon for Kickett who came to the US underdone and lacking confidence.

Kickett scored well in the first two rounds but found himself in a very unusual position from there onwards. Broner showed amazing power, speed and precision as he began to pick off the Indigenous prospect with real ease. Broner appeared to slip from a right hand thrown by Kickett but came back with a swarming left hook with floored Kickett.

It was pretty much game over from there as Kickett was in survival mode, running around the ring and trying to counter the very slick Broner. Kickett survived the fifth round but there was no repeat in the sixth as Kickett was put down and out for the count with another left hook.

This fight was poorly selected by trainer Craig Christian who is never one to shy away from a risky contest. Although a majority of the time Christian is very calculated and correct with his decisions, it was and now is pretty obvious to all that Christian has set his prospect a long way back with this knockout defeat, the second in four fights for Kickett.

In his last two fights, Kickett has looked far from spectacular in lacklustre wins over Moses Seran and Roel Mangan. In the Seran fight, Kickett looked vulnerable, gun shy and hurt several times and it was very suprising that Christian rushed his charge into such a risky fight against an unknown quantity in Adrien Broner.

Let's hope that "Cool" Willie and come back from this loss as a better fighter. All credit to Kickett for having the guts to step up and take on some of the best prospects in his division.

Go back seven months ago and we are talking about the hottest Indigenous prospect since a young Anthony Mundine. Kickett was getting rave reviews from all Australian boxing critics, the world was his oyster and destined for super stardom and a world title shot. Johnny Lewis, Australia's most credentialed boxing trainer even went as far as saying that Kickett would be the best Aboriginal fighter since the great Lionel Rose.

As all old timers know, boxing is about timing, nurturing your fighter, letting him grow in confidence, learn his trade and gradually step up the opponents over an extended period of time. In Kickett's case... he had all the time in the world, showed fantastic natural ability, speed and was a gifted athlete who had no more than thirty amateur fights.

This is no disrespect to his management or to the fighter. However, it takes time to make a good broth. It cannot be rushed; it must be cooked on low heat and left to simmer over two or three hours. Kickett is not far from finished, however one would imagine his confidence is now shot and he is now most likely weighing up his future in the sport.

Maybe six months away playing footy, going fishing and having a complete break from the sport could bring back a revitalised, keen and fresh version of the Kickett who first burst onto the boxing scene some twelve months ago.

FIGHT GAME wishes him well and looks forward to seeing him on our local boxing scene early next year.