Disappointment for Magee in Montreal

Lucian Bute stopped Ireland's Brian Magee in the 10th round to retain his IBF super-middleweight title in Montreal on Saturday night.

The 31-year-old Bute, born in Romania and based in Montreal, had already knocked down the Ulsterman in the sixth and seventh rounds and finished him off with an uppercut to the chin at 2:04 of the 10th round.

Bute's victory in the battle of the southpaws secured a seventh successful defence of the belt he won in 2007 and improved his record to 28-0, 23 KOs.

For Magee, it was only the second time in his career he had failed to go the distance.

After a fairly even first five rounds, Bute raised his game and put Magee down with a quick left to the stomach.

The 35-year-old recovered well but was felled again in similar fashion in the following round and from then on it was only a matter of time before the knockout punch arrived.

It came with a blow to the head in the 10th, sending Magee to his knees again and forcing Chicago referee Pete Podgorski to stop the fight.

Bute's win set up a likely meeting later this year with Denmark's Mikkel Kessler, who was ringside at the Bell Centre.