Marquez Tkos Mabuza In Rematch

Showtime results from Montbleu Resort Casino & Spa

Rafael Marquez retained his IBF/IBO bantamweight titles Saturday night by scoring a ninth-round TKO over South Africa’s Silence Mabuza at the Montbleu Resort Casino & Spa in a fight broadcast on Showtime.

“This is boxing. Now and then, you get caught with the punches that people outside cannot see,” Mabuza said after the loss. “He’s a very strong boxer. He’s a top boxer.”

With the defeat of Mabuza, Marquez made his seventh successful defense of the title since beating Tim Austin in 2003.

“He’s a great fighter and has a great punch. I was a little surprised, but he did a great job, said Marquez. “He threw some effective punches, but I turned it around when I got that second wind, and it showed my strength.

Nic Durandt, the challenger’s chief second, threw in the towel and said after the fight, “If you have a look at the faces, there’s cuts, there’s cuts. The ref probably would have stopped the fight. It’s not about belts, it’s about his health. We’ll be back.”

Marquez was ahead on all three judges’ scorecards when the fight was stopped, and this is probably his final fight at bantamweight.

“I was really going to go up to 122 pounds, Marquez said, but I prepared myself well for this fight. There’s great champions at 122 pounds, that’s where I want to fight. I want to fight those champions there.