LAKE TAHOE (Nevada), Aug 6: Mexico's Rafael Marquez retained his International Boxing Federation bantamweight title here Saturday with a ninth-round technical knockout of South Africa's Silence Mabuza.

The bout was a rematch of their Nov 5 clash, in which Marquez stopped the previously unbeaten Mabuza in the fourth.

Marquez's punches started taking a toll on the game Mabuza in the eighth and ninth, leading the bloodied South African's corner to call for the stoppage at the end of the ninth.

Marquez improved to 36-3, with 32 wins inside the distance, while Mabuza fell to 19-2 with 15 knock-outs.

Marquez made his seventh successful defence of the 118-pound title he won from Tim Austin in February 2003.

He carried the fight early despite landing a low blow in round two. However, Mabuza battled back over the next three rounds before the fighters traded powerful punches in the sixth.

“He's a great fighter and has a great punch,” Marquez said.

—AFP