KUALA LUMPUR – Pakistani boxer Muhammad Waseem has lost the fight for the International Boxing Federation flyweight world title to South African opponent Moruti Mthalane.
Waseem, the former two-time World Boxing Council flyweight world silver champion, suffered a defeat after eight consecutive wins. The Quetta born Waseem is the first-ever boxer from Pakistan to be listed as number-one in the flyweight category.
Meanwhile, Manny Pacquiao rolled back the years as he stopped WBA welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse on Sunday — the 39-year-old Filipino icon’s first knockout win since 2009. It was a dominant, devastating display as “smoking hot” Pacquiao registered the 60th win of a fabled 23-year career that now looks certain to extend beyond his 40th birthday in December. Pacquiao knocked down the big-puncher from Argentina as early as the third round with a stunning left uppercut that thudded around the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur.
The 35-year-old Argentine, who came in with a reputation as a big puncher, had no answer to Pacquiao’s blistering speed and he dropped again in the fifth. When a right-left combination thudded home to send Matthysse crashing down for a third time in the seventh round referee Kenny Bayless stepped in to save him from further punishment.
Jhack Tepora stopped Mexico’s Edivaldo Ortega to win the interim World Boxing Association featherweight title. Tepora unleashed a wicked short right hand in the ninth round to knock down Ortega for the first time in what had been to that point an even contest.
Lu Bin’s brave bid for a record world title win in just his second professional fight came crashing to earth when he was knocked out in the dying seconds of his battle with experienced WBA light flyweight champion Carlos Canizales of Venezuela. Lu was felled near the end of the 11th round for the first time in his short pro career. Canizales went for the kill in the 12th and final stanza.
After a barrage of punches a storming straight right dropped Lu and the referee waved it off.
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