Rafael Espinoza pummeled Arnold Khegai into submission Saturday night.

The 6-foot-1 Espinoza picked apart the 5-5 Khegai for most of their one-sided fight for the relentless Mexican’s WBO featherweight title. Severe swelling surrounding Khegai’s left eye made it very difficult for the courageous challenger to see by the time his trainer, Marvin Samodio, stopped the action after the 10th round at Arena Coliseo in San Luis Potosi, Mexico.

Their 12-rounder was officially stopped 15 seconds into the 11th round.

Espinoza (28-0, 24 KOs) was at least a 20-1 favorite over Khegai (23-3-1, 14 KOs), per most sportsbooks, and dominated him accordingly.

Guadalajara’s Espinoza, 31, made the fourth defense of a WBO belt he won from favored Cuban Robeisy Ramirez in December 2023.

Espinoza edged Ramirez by majority decision in their first bout, but he stopped Ramirez in the sixth round of their rematch almost a year later. He has won 11 of his past 12 bouts by knockout or TKO.

Ukraine’s Khegai, 33, was beaten by knockout for the first time in 27 professional fights. His lone losses prior to Saturday night were a 12-round unanimous decision to eventual junior featherweight and featherweight champ Stephen Fulton Jr. in January 2020 and a 10-round split decision to Joet Gonzalez on March 8.

Khegai landed an eye-catching right hand a few seconds before the 10th round ended. It turned out to be the final punch he landed.

Samodio told Khegai before the ninth round began that he would stop the fight if Khegai didn’t make it more competitive. The challenger was more effective in the ninth round, enough to encourage Samodio to let their fight continue.

A damaging left hook by Espinoza rocked Khegai with just over a minute to go in the eighth round.

Espinoza unloaded power shots on Khegai during the fifth, sixth and seventh rounds. He remained on his feet, but bled badly from his nose and didn’t mount as much offense as he did earlier in their fight.

Back-to-back right hands by Khegai and a left hook backed Espinoza into the ropes and made him hold with about 1:45 to go in the fourth round. As much success as Khegai experienced in those three minutes, he went back to his corner with blood pouring from his nose.

Khegai landed a looping right hand and two left hooks that eventually caused Espinoza to tie him up in the final minute of the third round.

Espinoza landed three straight left hooks to the body early in the second round. Three right uppercuts by Espinoza landed later during an impressive second round for the champion.

Espinoza and Khegai were more cautious in an uneventful first round than expected.