Brian Magee retained his IBO super-middleweight title when he forced Hacine Cherifi to retire on his stool at the end of the eighth round at the Kings Hall in Belfast last night.
Magee had dominated the contest from the opening bell but it was two nasty cuts, one on the forehead and the other over Cherifi's right eye - both due to head bashes - which brought an end to the Frenchman's challenge.
Former WBC world middleweight champion Cherifi was clearly a faded force and Magee found it easy to connect with his short clusters of punches. The 28-year-old, making his sixth defence of the title, quickly got to work to Cherifi's body and in the second round, the challenger was already keen to hold on.
A clash of heads then left Cherifi with blood streaming from the cut on his forehead. Cherifi found himself under even more pressure in the third round as the action livened up and Magee unloaded his crisp combinations.
Cherifi was offering little in response to Magee's stinging assault and just before the bell to end the fifth round, the challenger was jolted by a left hand.
Cherifi came out in the sixth with more purpose to his work but southpaw Magee's extra strength and snap in his punches kept him at bay, and the Frenchman was momentarily stunned by a right hand near the end of the round.
Magee continued to dominate in the seventh and then a further accidental clash of heads opened up the nasty cut over Cherifi's right eye and in the last 30 seconds he was under extreme pressure from the champion's sustained attack.
There was no sign that he would not come out for the ninth but his corner clearly felt that the facial damage was simply too much to bear.
Afterwards, Magee said: "I knew he was a world class fighter and he has a great chin so I decided to work to the body. That was the game plan and it paid off.
"The atmosphere was fantastic and the fans really got me going. Hopefully we will be back again in the New Year."