For many it was a foregone conclusion that IBF Super Middle Champ Lucian Bute would win his maiden title defense last night at the Bell Centre in Montreal but few expected crafty old William Joppy to make it as far as he did before being stopped at 1:08 of the tenth frame.

At 28 years of age and standing 6 foot 2, southpaw Bute held spectacular advantages over the 37 year old, 5 foot 9 inch tall former three time middleweight world champion and the Romanian native didn't hold back.

Joppy's reflexes were gone and he hadn't beaten a top opponent since a shaky majority decision over Howard Eastman in 2001 and it's a mystery as to just why he was put in front of a current world champion at super middleweight to begin with.

Bute's fans turned up in droves, packing out the Bell Centre to watch the local hero batter the American all night long, with the champion getting to use his entire arsenal with great success.

But Joppy still had an iron chin and he soaked up punishment round after round until he finally started to show deterioration in the ninth, when Bute rammed home body shots to canvas the challenger at the end of the round.

Joppy answered the bell for the tenth but he was all but finished and shortly afterward, Bute forced a referee stoppage after flooring Joppy two more times.

Bute climbs to 22-0 (18) with the win and records his first IBF title defense.

Joppy, 39-5-1 (30), announced his retirement after the bout after suffering only the second stoppage loss of his superb 15 year career.

Click to read more boxing articles by Danny Wilson

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