Last night at Johannesburg's Springs Indoor Arena, South Africa's top bantamweight saw his bid for another world title opportunity go up in smoke as Silence Mabuza was stopped by opponent Yonnhy Perez in the 12th and final round.

Mabuza came into the IBF title eliminator as the far more experienced man, having twice contended for the full IBF belt only to be stopped by one of the top pound for pound sluggers in recent times, Rafael Marquez.

31 year old "African Spice" had won his last three contests, picking up the IBO belt and defending it twice in that stretch.

Perez was little known heading into this clash but the heavy-handed 30 year old from Colombia had defeated respectable opposition against no losses and came into the contest as the NABF beltholder.

Once the bout began, Mabuza's edge in experience shone through as he mounted a campaign to outwork his rival, pressuring Perez on the inside and winning rounds through persistence and effort.

But once Perez began to time the South African, he began to pick off Mabuza on the way in with bracing shots that began to turn the tide in the later frames.

Mabuza went into the final round looking to entertain his home audience with a KO but in his effort to do so, was open to a full blooded right hand from Perez that had Mabuza on the floor and in major difficulty.

The big hearted Johannesburg man beat the count but was overwhelmed by Perez's follow-up assault and the contest was halted at 1:06 of the 12th.

Perez moves to 19-0 (14) with the biggest win of his career and is now the mandatory challenger to the winner of the IBF bantamweight title fight between champion Joseph Agbeko and challenger Vic Darchinyan, who fight in July.

Mabuza drops to 22-3 (18).

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