Edwin Valero (26-0, 26 KOs), THE RING's No.1-rated lightweight, defended his 135-pound title and kept his KO streak alive with sixth-round stoppage of veteran Hector Velazquez (51-14-2, 35 KOs) in La Guaira, Caracas, Venezuela on Saturday.

Velazquez, a 34-year-old former featherweight and junior lightweight contender who was stopped in the sixth round by Manny Pacquiao in 2005, fought mainly to survive but still absorbed considerable damage from Valero and did not come out for the seventh round.

Valero, who hasn't fought since winning his lightweight belt with a second-round TKO of Antonio Pitalua in April, suffered a cut on the bridge of the nose from headbutts in the first round. (Velazquez was penalized a point by the referee for coming in with his head too much.)

Valero's fight with Pitalua was in Austin, Texas but he has not been able to fight in the U.S. since because of visa trouble.

However, he is scheduled to defend his belt against his mandatory challenger Antonio DeMarco, THE RING's No. 9-rated lightweight, in Mexico on Feb. 6 in a bout that will be televised in the U.S. by Showtime.