Marquez stops Mabuza in IBF bantamweight title

STATELINE – Mexico’s Rafael Marquez retained his International Boxing Federation bantamweight title here Saturday, stopping previously unbeaten South African Silence Mabuza in the fourth round.

Marquez, who improved to 35-3 with 31 knockouts, knocked down the challenger in the first round. Mabuza recovered in the second, responding to some hard shots with some big punches of his own.In the third, Mabuza was cut above the right eye and under the left.The fight was stopped at 2:08 of the fourth because of the cut over his right eye, which was ruled to have been caused by a punch even though the fighters had also clashed heads.Mabuza fell to 18-1.* Meanwhile, a knee injury to Ukrainian Vitali Klitschko has forced the postponement of his anticipated World Boxing Council heavyweight title showdown against Hasim Rahman on November 12, promoter Bob Arum said Saturday.The announcement came a week before the fight was scheduled to take place at the Thomas and Mack Center.Ukraine’s Klitschko (35-2, with 34 knockouts) injured the knee in training on Thursday.He thought he might be able to fight with a brace on his knee, but found that it hindered his movement too much.A statement from Arum’s Top Rank promotions said the entire card would be cancelled and a new date for Klitschko-Rahman announced soon.- Nampa-AFPMabuza recovered in the second, responding to some hard shots with some big punches of his own.In the third, Mabuza was cut above the right eye and under the left.The fight was stopped at 2:08 of the fourth because of the cut over his right eye, which was ruled to have been caused by a punch even though the fighters had also clashed heads.Mabuza fell to 18-1.* Meanwhile, a knee injury to Ukrainian Vitali Klitschko has forced the postponement of his anticipated World Boxing Council heavyweight title showdown against Hasim Rahman on November 12, promoter Bob Arum said Saturday.The announcement came a week before the fight was scheduled to take place at the Thomas and Mack Center.Ukraine’s Klitschko (35-2, with 34 knockouts) injured the knee in training on Thursday.He thought he might be able to fight with a brace on his knee, but found that it hindered his movement too much.A statement from Arum’s Top Rank promotions said the entire card would be cancelled and a new date for Klitschko-Rahman announced soon.- Nampa-AFP