By Jake Donovan

CINCINNATI, Ohio--Adrien Broner delivered his most complete performance in years, scoring a 12th round stoppage of Khabib Allakhverdiev in their vacant title fight Saturday evening at U.S. Bank Arena. 

There were moments where the action threatened to be competitive, but Broner picked up the pace over the course of the second half of the fight. Allakhverdiev's face showed the full effect of the incoming, with reddening around his eye as early as round two and increasingly absorbing power shots down the stretch.

Broner promised a rededicated fighter, but couldn't help himself as he played to the crowds during the middle rounds. Allakhverdiev was unable to take advantage of those moments, but still enjoyed enough success earlier in the night to prevent the fight from becoming a rout.

However close the fight may have been at any point ultimately proved moot. Broner scored repeatedly with uppercuts, left hooks and body shots that eventually slowed down Allakhverdiev. The visiting boxer from Russia never wilted, but had the fight beaten out of him down the stretch.

Broner went in for a strong finish in a fight that appeared destined to go to the scorecards. Referee Harvey Dock Jr. decided otherwise, determining that Allakhverdiev had taken enough punishment and intervened. 

The official time was 2:23 of the 12th and final round. 

Broner improves to 31-2 (23KOs) with the win, bouncing back strong since losing to Shawn Porter in June. 

Allakverdiev falls to 19-2 (9KOs), dropping his second straight.  

The bout aired live on Showtime. 

Jake Donovan is the managing editor of BoxingScene.com.
Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
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