Lucian Bute stops Magee in the 10th

Lucian Bute stopped Northern Ireland's Brian Magee in the 10th round to retain his IBF super-middleweight title in Montreal on Saturday night.

The 31-year-old Bute, born in Romania and based in Montreal, had already knocked down the Ulsterman in the sixth and seventh rounds and finished him off with an uppercut to the chin at 2:04 of the 10th round.

Bute's victory in the battle of the southpaws secured a seventh successful defence of the belt he won in 2007 and improved his record to 28-0, 23KOs.

For Magee, it was only the second time in his career he had failed to go the distance.

After a fairly even first five rounds, Bute raised his game and put Magee down with a quick left to the stomach.

The 35-year-old recovered well but was felled again in similar fashion in the following round and from then on it was only a matter of time before the knockout punch arrived.

It came with a blow to the head in the 10th, sending Magee to his knees again and forcing Chicago referee Pete Podgorski to stop the fight.

Bute's win set up a likely meeting later this year with Denmark's Mikkel Kessler, who was ringside at the Bell Centre.

fair play to magee but bute is a very good champion.

it'll take the very best to stop him - ward or froch.

Magee was well out of his depth but held his own for a while. But when Bute stepped it up Magee had no answers. Bute is good but the super six has stopped him taking on the best. Apparently his next fight is against Kessler that should show just how good he is.

I thought Magee aquitted himself very well early and actually found Bute chin plenty of times. A harder puncher may of shook up the Romanian. Bute v Kessler is almost being touted like a last pay day and loss for Kessler by some people but that to me is a real live fight depending on what Kess has left. Kessler is over the crest of the hill now but if he trains right for those vicous body shots i think he will be able to find and hurt Bute. All depends what the viking warrior has left. Personally now, with Ward set to fight eternally at home i would like to see kess beat Bute Froch beat johnson and those two rematch in England as kess v froch was great tear up in Denmark.

time will tell. good performance by bute but by no means invincible. Magee aquitted himself well.

Magee just couldn't cope with the body shots, good performance by Bute. I feel he will eventually be punished though for keeping his right hand so low.