Marquez Fights Through A Bloody Mask To KO Jaca In Nine

Juan Manuel Marquez (46-3-1, 35 KOs) knocked out Jimrex Jaca (27-3-1, 12 KOs) in the ninth round of a grueling and bloody, but fast-paced, battle Saturday night at the Dodge Arena in Hidalgo, Texas to retain his interim WBO featherweight title and keep his hopes of a rematch with Manny Pacquiao alive.

Mexico City's Marquez, coming in as the heavy favorite in front of a lively crowd, looked sharp coming forward in the first, making the Cebu City, Philippines native miss in-between his shots to the head and body, and he sealed the round by landing uppercuts which nearly dropped Jaca to the canvas with a minute to go in the stanza.

In the second, Marquez nearly went down as Jaca tapped the Mexican and the two banged heads, with ‘Dinamita’ tripping on his opponent's foot. The longer armed Jaca worked well behind his reach before being tagged upstairs once more as the round came to a close, leaving Jaca with a small cut above his left eye.

Jaca showed impressive skills, making the Mexican miss combinations, although Marquez was not lacking in the defensive department either, and he wound up landing the best shots of the third with a small flurry at the bell.

The fourth frame heated up quickly, with the two trading hard shots before Marquez began to time his foe and controlled the tempo of the round.

Jaca received a stern warning from referee Laurence Cole for shoving in the fifth, and Marquez stepped on the gas after a subsequent head butt left him with a deep cut above his right eye.

With the looming danger of the fight being stopped, Marquez pressed on, although not in a reckless manner. Well placed combinations, straight rights, body shots and uppercuts made the tough Filipino stay in countering mode, with Marquez landing at a nearly 3 to 1 rate in the sixth frame.

Marquez, well versed against southpaws, landed very well in the seventh, with the action being stopped briefly to warn Marquez about straying low blows.

The drama continued in the eighth, as Cole called a halt once more to the action, noting another headbutt which left the champion with a bloody mask on his face. A third headbutt took place, with Cole advising Marquez that he was ahead on the cards and that if he couldn't go on, he basically would win the fight. Marquez chose to fight on, taking the round once more.

Marquez ended the fight in explosive fashion, catching Jaca with a cracking left hook which sent him down to the canvas for a ten count at 2:48 of the ninth round.

In other results, super lightweight Demetrius Hopkins won a unanimous 12 round decision over veteran Rogelio Castaneda

Super bantamweight Abner Mares stopped Wilmer Rodriguez in four.