Linares scores KO over Cano to retain title

WBC lightweight champion Jorge Linares (40-3, 27 KOs) scored a fourth round KO over Mexican Ivan Cano (23-7-2, 15 KOs) on Saturday night at the Poliedro in Caracas, Venezuela.

Linares dropped Cano twice, once in the third round and then in the fourth.

The Venezuelan dominated the action from the opening bell, connecting shots to head and body. In the second, Cano went on the attack and landed a right hand but Linares was soon in charge again and blasted Cano to the deck in the third round with a barrage of punches.

He continued to punish Cano at the start of the fourth and the challenger finally took a knee and decided to stay down for the count at 0:58 of the round.

Linares was making the second defence of his belt in his homecoming bout.