Heavy-handed Lucas Matthysse of Argentina once again showed he is perhaps the hardest puncher in boxing, pound-for-pound.

Matthysse on Saturday night at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City stopped Lamont Peterson of Washington D.C. in the third round of their scheduled 12-round junior welterweight fight; actually, the bout was fought at one pound over the 140-pound limit.

Matthysse (34-2, 32 KOs) decked Peterson (31-2-1) once in the second round and twice in the third, the bout being stopped at 2:14.

In the semi-main event, Devon Alexander (25-1, 14 KOs) of St. Louis stopped Lee Purdy of England after the seventh round, when Purdy’s corner would not let him answer the bell for the eighth. It was originally supposed to be a fight for Alexander’s welterweight title, but Purdy (20-4-1) did not make weight Friday, so Alexander’s belt was not on the table.