ST. LOUIS -- Heavyweight Monte Barrett handed Owen Beck the first loss of his pro career Saturday night, winning by technical knockout in the ninth round on the undercard of the Cory Spinks-Zab Judah welterweight title bout.
Barrett staggered Beck against the ropes with a series of punches and then knocked him down with about a half-minute left in the ninth round. The fight was stopped with eight seconds left in the round after Barrett knocked down Beck again with two hard rights and a stiff left.
"I'm surprised he stayed up as long as he did," Barrett said. "He doesn't have the experience that I do and I could feel he was starting to wear down.
"I'm ready for any of the world champions."
Barrett (31-3, 17 knockouts) also knocked down Beck in the second round, and two of the three judges had him leading when the fight was stopped.
Beck (24-1, 18 knockouts) had knocked out his previous four opponents within three rounds and had only been past the fifth round three times in his six-year career.
"I couldn't believe the referee stopped the fight," Beck said. "Next time, it's going to be different."
Barrett sustained a cut over his left eye in the fourth round, caused by an inadvertent head butt. The fight was briefly stopped in the fifth so Barrett could get medical attention.
"It bothered me a little bit," Barrett said. "But there was no way I was going to let them stop this fight."
Judah's brother, super middleweight Josiah Judah, was among the winners on the undercard with a first-round knockout of Brandon Jackson. Josiah Judah is 2-0 as a professional.
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Barrett staggered Beck against the ropes with a series of punches and then knocked him down with about a half-minute left in the ninth round. The fight was stopped with eight seconds left in the round after Barrett knocked down Beck again with two hard rights and a stiff left.
"I'm surprised he stayed up as long as he did," Barrett said. "He doesn't have the experience that I do and I could feel he was starting to wear down.
"I'm ready for any of the world champions."
Barrett (31-3, 17 knockouts) also knocked down Beck in the second round, and two of the three judges had him leading when the fight was stopped.
Beck (24-1, 18 knockouts) had knocked out his previous four opponents within three rounds and had only been past the fifth round three times in his six-year career.
"I couldn't believe the referee stopped the fight," Beck said. "Next time, it's going to be different."
Barrett sustained a cut over his left eye in the fourth round, caused by an inadvertent head butt. The fight was briefly stopped in the fifth so Barrett could get medical attention.
"It bothered me a little bit," Barrett said. "But there was no way I was going to let them stop this fight."
Judah's brother, super middleweight Josiah Judah, was among the winners on the undercard with a first-round knockout of Brandon Jackson. Josiah Judah is 2-0 as a professional.
AP NEWS
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