Spadafora outsmarts Holbaek

Undefeated IBF lightweight champion Paul Spadafora retained his crown with a unanimous 12-round decision over Denmark's Dennis "The Menace" Holbaek.

The local favorite struggled early on, but battled back and dominated the final rounds to win by judges' scores of 117-111, 117-111 and 118-110.

Southpaw Spadafora rose to 36-0 while Holbaek, who had not fought since February 2001 because of a contract dispute with his promoter, fell to 43-2.

Spadafora went the distance for the seventh time in eight fights but made his seventh successful title defense.

With the victory, Spadafora hopes to land a major fight against unbeaten WBC champion Floyd Mayweather Jnr, who fights Jose Luis Castillo in Las Vegas on 7 December.