Welterweight world champion Keith Thurman returned to the ring after a nearly two-year injury layoff and retained his WBA title with a majority decision over the feisty challenge of veteran Josesito Lopez.

Thurman remained unbeaten, improving to 29-0 with the victory in his first fight since he won a battle with Danny Garcia in a welterweight unification bout at Barclays Center in March 2017. Injuries to his hand and elbow kept Thurman out of the ring since that night, and forced him to vacate the WBC belt he took from Garcia.

Against Lopez, Thurman was aggressive and sharp early on, registering a second-round knockdown. But Lopez withstood a barrage that continued into the middle rounds, and in the seventh, he dominated the round. After two right hands shook Thurman, Lopez pressed the attack and fired away as Thurman withdrew.

The champion escaped the round and re-established himself over the final rounds even as Lopez continued to battle. Thurman ended up throwing more than 300 more punches and connecting at a higher rate. He won 117-109 and 115-111 on two cards. The third card came out 113-113.

Heavyweight Adam Kownacki continued his rise with a second-round demolition of Gerald Washington. It was the 11th knockout in 15 fights for the unbeaten Kownacki, who has now beaten two former world championship challengers -- Washington and Artur Szpilka -- and a former champion -- Charles Martin -- in his last four fights.

Kownacki had Washington shaky and stumbling with big shots in the final minute of the first round and then knocked him down in the first minute of the second. When the fight resumed, it lasted just seconds more as Kownacki pounced and battered Washington to the ropes before the referee stopped the fight.

Unbeaten Tugstsogt Nyambayar defeated former champion Claudio Marrero by unanimous decision for the vacant IBO world featherweight title, also becoming the mandatory challenge for WBC champion Gary Russell Jr. Brooklyn native Chris Colbert ran his career record to 9-0 with a unanimous decision over Josh Hernandez.