Lorenzo Parra had other plans in the scheduled 10-round bout.
Parra stopped Pierce in the second round in the main event of a Manny Pacquiao Promotions card on Saturday at Turning Stone Casino & Resort in Verona, New York. Pierce entered the contest ranked No. 2 by the WBA and WBO at featherweight.
Parra (24-1-1, 18 KOs) sent the tone early, connecting with a pair of big shots, including a counter straight right hand that buzzed Pierce (21-3, 17 KOs). He continued the momentum into the second round and got Pierce into a corner before he rocked him again with a looping right hand.
Pierce was out on his feet and slumped into the ropes as Parra threw a flurry of punches before referee Ricky Gonzalez stopped the fight.
Earlier, welterweight Curmel Moton made quick work of Wilfredo Flores, stopping him after two rounds.
Moton (9-0, 7 KOs) walked down Flores (12-7-1, 5 KOs) for most of the fight and consistently landed with blistering combinations in a bout scheduled for 10 rounds. The 19-year-old prospect started to find his groove at the end of the second round, unloading a barrage of punches in the final seconds before the bell rang.
Not long after the second round ended, Flores’ corner stopped the fight.