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Groves wins on Vegas debut

Image: Groves: Still perfect

George Groves marked his first fight on American soil with a sixth-round stoppage of Alfredo Contreras in Las Vegas.

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Guerrero and Linares also register victories on undercard

George Groves marked his debut on American soil with stoppage victory over Alfredo Contreras in Las Vegas. Fighting on the Juan Manuel Marquez-Juan Diaz undercard, Groves forced the referee to step in and end the contest in the sixth round to improve to 10-0. However the reigning Commonwealth super-middleweight champion didn't have it all his own way against the Mexican, particularly in the opening rounds. Contreras proved livelier than his 11-7-1 record would have suggested, catching his opponent on a couple of occasions in the eight-rounder. But Groves finally began to pick his punches behind an excellent jab in the third and while he never looked in any serious trouble, Contreras was beginning to feel his power. He was caught with a big left and then a short right in the sixth, at which point referee Russell Mora decided he'd spare the South American from suffering any more punishment.

Guerrero dominant

Also on the same bill, former featherweight champion Robert Guerrero dominated Joel Casamayor to record a unanimous points victory. Having already been docked a point for holding, Cuban Casamayor was sent to the canvas in the second round. However the 39-year-old managed to go the full 10 rounds, even knocking down the American in the last with a right hook that stunned, rather than hurt, his rival. Guerrero - who afterwards suggested he would like to fight Marquez next - was a clear winner on all three scorecards; two judges giving him it by a 98-89 margin with the third making it 97-90. There was also a victory for Jorge Linares at the Mandalay Bay Resort, the Venezuelan marking his move up to 135lbs with a unanimous decision over Rocky Juarez, who has now lost his last three fights.