Santana Knocks Out O’Sullivan in 11th

Luis Santana knocked Shawn O’Sullivan down with a right hand in the 11th round, then finished him off with a flurry of punches Friday night to win the vacant North American Boxing Federation welterweight title.

O’Sullivan, a 1984 Olympic silver medalist, was helpless in his corner and bleeding from the mouth when referee Richard Steele moved in to stop the scheduled 12-round fight at 1:57 of the 11th.

It was the second loss in 19 professional fights for O’Sullivan, while the veteran Santana raised his record to 32-7-2 with 23 knockouts.

Santana, of Hawthorne, Nev. had lost three of his last four fights and was an underdog going into the bout against O’Sullivan, a Toronto resident who had won his last six fights.

O’Sullivan, 146 3/4, earned $7,500 for the fight, while Santana, who also weighed 146 3/4, was paid $5,000.