Welliver scores third-round TKO

Boxing: Throwing hard, relentless combinations, Spokane’s Chauncy Welliver scored a third-round technical knockout of Brad Gregory on Friday night and successfully defended his World Boxing Council Continental Americas heavyweight title in Warren, Mich.

Referee Frank Garza stopped the scheduled 12-rounder at 1:30 of the third, as Welliver – ranked 15th by the WBC and ninth by the World Boxing Organization – won his 10th straight bout.

“He was awesome – just a fantastic performance,” said Welliver’s manager, Roland Jankelson. “Gregory was tremendously game and was given every chance to weather the storm, but Chauncy just wouldn’t give him any room.”

For Welliver, who weighed 240 pounds, it was his first early stoppage in his last eight fights and raised his record to 45-5-5. Gregory, 207, fell to 12-6.