Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images

BROOKLYN, New York – That power. Damn.

Gabriel Rosado, who unveiled improved boxing skills, frustrated David Lemieux to some degree in the first two-plus rounds Saturday at Barclays Center. Then, in the third, Lemieux landed a hard left and everything changed.

The Canadian put Rosado down that round and, loading up powerful shots like few fighters in boxing, landed bomb after bomb after that to bust up Rosado’s face and body even if he was never able to take his heart.

Indeed, the Philadelphia fighter showed uncommon courage standing up to a beast like Lemieux with one eye closed and never quitting. In the end, it was the ring doctor who said Rosado had taken enough punishment and stopped a tremendously entertaining fight.

The official end came at 1:45 of the 10th.

“I wanted to show what I can do,” Lemieux said in the ring immediately after the fight. “ÔǪ I know he wanted to take me into deep waters. He thought I would get tired in the later rounds. I prepared for a 12-round fight, though.

“I wanted to be explosive for 12 rounds and I think I was.”

Lemieux (33-2, 31 knockouts) initially hurt Rosado (21-9, 13 KOs) with a left. Then, after a short exchang, another short left put Rosado down and hurt him. By that time, his left eye also was closing, which made Rosado’s mission very difficult.

Still, he and Lemieux gave fans a fourth round they’ll never forget. First, it was Lemieux who landed huge, head-rocking shots. Then it was Rosado doing damage. Then Lemieux. Then Rosado again.

Only 6,532 were on hand but the noise they produced during Round 4 was deafening.

Rosado had few memorable moments after that, though. The hard-luck fighter did more moving then punching from the fourth round on, as Lemieux, obviously in prime condition, continued to stalk his prey and do gruesome damage.

The eye was shut by mid-fight. By the end, it was bleeding. And Rosado, although still game, was taking more and more brutal punches and not throwing enough back. The doctor signaled to referee Steve Willis that enough was enough, after which Willis grabbed Rosado around the waist and carried him to safety.

The victory was important for Lemieux, who was fighting in the U.S. for the first time and hoping to position himself for a big-money fight. Mission accomplished.

He was asked afterward what he thought about facing the likes of Gennady Golovkin. Of course, he loves the idea.

“I’m ready to fight anyone at 160, Golovkin, (Miguel) Cotto, anyone at 160. I’m willing to fight everybody. I want to be the best,” he said.

Lemieux has now won eight in a row since he lost back-to-back fights in 2011. Rosado has lost four of his past five fights, the fifth being a no-contest.

Rosado has the reputation of being a very tough, but limited fighter who gives his all but loses to the best in the business. He appears to have sharpened his skills with trainer Jesse Reid.

That said, the result was a familiar one.

“He’s a good fighter,” Rosado said. “He hit me in the second round and my eye puffed up. ÔǪ I really couldn’t see out of that eye. I kept seeing three of him. Fighting with one eye ÔǪ just seems to be my luck.”

No question about it: Lemieux was the fortunate one this night.