Carbajal Keeps Title on Decision

Michael Carbajal kept his International Boxing Federation super-flyweight title Saturday with a 12-round unanimous decision over Marcos Pacheco of Mexico.

The victory by the Phoenix fighter was marred by a head butt in the final 15 seconds that opened a cut above Carbajal’s left eye that required five stitches to close.

Carbajal (23-0) had 13 knockouts in his first 19 fights, but has gone four in a row without stopping an opponent.

It was the first fight outside of Mexico for Pacheco (23-4-1), who has never been knocked out.

Judge Joe Garcia of Tucson scored it 116-111, Lucien Joubert of New Orleans scored it 117-110 and Hector Fernandez Vilchis of Mexico City had it 117-113.

In a secondary main event, junior-featherweights Rudy Zavala of Costa Mesa and Johnny Vasquez (17-2-1) of Phoenix fought to a 10-round draw.

It was the first blemish on the record of Zavala, who had won 15 in a row, including the last 11 by knockout.