Lightweight beltholder Edwin Valero retained his 135-pound title for the second time with a one-sided stoppage of game but ultimately outgunned Antonio DeMarco after nine rounds in a Showtime-televised main event from Monterrey, Mexico on Saturday.

Valero (27-0, 27 KOs) sustained a gaping gash above his right eye after DeMarco (23-2-1, 17 KOs) inadvertently clipped the hard-hitting southpaw with his elbow in the second rounds, but the Venezuelan powerhouse didn't allow the flow of blood to bother him as he relentlessly pursued the Mexican lefty with his usual two-fisted fury.

However, DeMarco's incredible toughness and willingness to exchange with Valero forced the normally wild slugger to refine his attack more than fans have seen in recent fights. Valero utilized in-and-out footwork, head movement and counter punching to gradually and methodically beat the brave young challenger into submission.

DeMarco, who was very woozy between the eighth and ninth rounds, admitted to his trainer that he had had enough while on his stool after the ninth round.

In the co-featured bout of the card, exciting welterweight prospect Carlos Abregu (29-0, 24 KOs) got up from a second-round knockdown to out-point veteran Richard Gutierrez (24-4-1, 14 KOs) in a thrilling 10-round slugfest.

Abregu, who dropped Gutierrez in the third round and went toe-to-toe with the rugged Colombian on many occasions, won by scores of 98-90 and 97-91 (twice).

A full post-fight column on Valero-DeMarco will be posted later this evening.