Darius Fulghum Blasts out Pachino Hill inside Of Two Rounds on Garcia-Duarte Undercard

Darius Fulghum enjoyed another early night at the office.

The college graduate and fast-rising super middleweight prospect made quick work of Iowa’s Pachino Hill. A barrage of power punches forced referee Mark Calo-oy to stop the contest at 0:54 of round two in their DAZN opener Saturday evening at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.

The sixth and final night of a hectic 2023 campaign marked the first true homecoming for Houston’s Fulghum (9-0, 9KOs), who also enjoyed his fourth fight on the year in his home state. The 27-year-old donned a cap and gown for the occasion, symbolic of his nursing degree he earned upon his 2019 graduation from Prairie View A&M University.

Hill (8-5-1, 6KOs) promised to take Fulghum to uncomfortable places but never came close to living up to that claim. Fulghum was patient but steady in the opening round and caught Hill’s attention with nearly every combination.

Fulghum closed the show in the second round. Hill was on the run before he found himself trapped against the ropes. Fulghum (9-0. 9KOs) let his hands go, at which point Hill was unable to defend himself and was rescued by the referee.

All six fights on the year for Fulghum came in a span of just over seven months. All but one ended in three rounds or less, though he has yet to go beyond the sixth round through nine pro fights.

The bout opened a four-fight DAZN telecast. Headlining the Golden Boy Promotions-presented event, Ryan Garcia (23-1, 19KOs) attempts to rebound from a seventh-round knockout loss to Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis (29-0. 27KOs) in April as he faces streaking Mexican contender Oscar Duarte (26-1-1, 21KOs). The bout takes place above the junior welterweight limit, as both boxers are at their respective career heaviest weights.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox