LOS ANGELES, Sept 3: Roberto Guerrero captured the International Boxing Federation featherweight world title on Saturday with an eighth-round technical knockout of Eric Aiken.

Aiken was making his first defence of the title he won in May from Valdemir Pereira, who was disqualified for continuous low blows.

Guerrero, a 23-year-old southpaw from Gilroy, California, strayed low with some of his early body shots, but landed a stream of legal blows as the fight progressed that Aiken couldn't counter and his corner called for the fight to be stopped after the eighth round.

“I had charge of the fight the whole time,” said Guerrero, who worked inside masterfully against Aiken. “I was executing everything I wanted to execute and I had control the whole time. ... I worked behind my jab, kept him off his game.”

Guerrero improved to 19-1-1 with 12 wins inside the distance, winning his third straight fight since suffering the lone loss of his career in December to Gamaliel Diaz.

Aiken fell to 16-5.

On the same card at Staples Center, US-based Nigerian

Samuel Peter edged James

Toney in a 12-round split decision in a heavyweight eliminator.—AFP