Argentinian banger Fernando Martinez smashed Jade Bornea's ear en route to scoring an 11th round stoppage of the gutsy Filipino challenger on Saturday night (Sunday in Manila) to retain his International Boxing Federation super-flyweight title in Minneapolis.

Making the second defense of the crown he took from another Filipino pride in Jerwin Ancajas 16 months ago and kept in a rematch last October, the South American proved to be a tough guy to slow down.

Though Bornea came out with a solid showing, there was simply no stopping his sheer aggression.

The referee had to step in early in the 11th stanza as blood flowed profusely from Bornea's right ear which he damaged two rounds earlier.

"I definitely saw the injury in the ear," Martinez said through a translator.

"I hit it with a left and it popped, it exploded. I just kept going at the ear and that's what ended this fight."

Martinez improved to 16-0 with his ninth victory inside the distance while Bornea fell to 18-1 after dropping his first world title bout.

"The training camp we had was brutal. It was great," the 32-year-old Martinez said.

"The stronger fighter won and it was me."

Martinez landed a hard left in the fifth round but a clash of heads denied him a chance to press the advantage.

Early in the ninth round, a left hook by Martinez exploded Bornea's right earlobe. Blood splattered and gushed down Bornea's neck but he made it through the round and told Fitch he wanted to continue.

Martinez landed a flurry at the end of the 10th round and attacked Bornea's face early in the 11th before Fitch halted the contest.

The 28-year-old Bornea, who entered the fight undefeated, was attempting to join Marlon Tapales as the country's only world champions.

Earlier, former world champion Ancajas stopped Wilner Sotto of Colombia for a rousing comeback.

WITH AFP