Cloud, Bundrage keep world titles

ST. LOUIS – Undefeated American Tavoris Cloud retained his International Boxing Federation light heavyweight title on Saturday with an eighth-round stoppage of countryman Yusaf Mack.

The fight was halted by referee Sam Williams three seconds before the end of eight-round, improving Cloud’s record to 23-0 with his 19th victory inside the distance. Mack fell to 29-4 with two drawn.

In another world title bout, American Cornelius Bundrage defended his IBF junior middleweight crown with a unanimous 12-round decision over US southpaw Sechew Powell.

Bundrage, 38, improved to 31-4 after judges scored him the winner by 119-109, 117-111 and 115-113. Powell slid to 26-3.

Also on the undercard, Haitian-born Canadian heavyweight Bermane Stiverne knocked out American Ray Austin 43 seconds into the 10th round to run his unbeaten streak to 10 fights and improve to 21-1-1 with 20 knockouts.

The victory makes Stiverne the mandatory challenger for the winner of the September 10 fight in Poland between World Boxing Council heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko of Ukraine and Poland’s Tomasz Adamek.

Klitschko has won 10 fights in a row since his most recent loss in June of 2003 at the hands of Lennox Lewis in the British legend’s last fight.