FanHouse Joseph Agbeko

Colombian Yonnhy Perez continually beat Africa's Joseph Agbeko to the punch with telling blows during toe-to-toe exchanges, and benefited from a ruled 10th-round knockdown that was, in fact, set up by an accidental head-butt on the way to Saturday night's 12-round, unanimous decision upset.

Perez earned the IBF's bantamweight title at the Treasure Island in Las Vegas.

The 118-pound Perez won 116-111 on the card of Jerry Roth, and 117-110 on those of Glenn Trowbridge and Barry Druxman. FanHouse scored the fight for Perez, 116-111.

Nicaraguan Jose Alfaro promised that Saturday night's lightweight matchup with Mexican southpaw Antonio Demarco would be a war.

But the 135-pound Alfaro didn't figure it was one that he would lose.

The 23-year-old Demarco won every round before dropping Alfaro three times in the 10th round, which is when referee Joe Cortez elected to call a halt to their bout at 2:07 at Treasure Island Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

Among the motivations for Joseph Agbeko entering Saturday night's defense of his IBF, 118-pound title against Yonnhy Perez is his desire to achieve the greatness of two of his African predecessors.

Like Agbeko, a 29-year-old bantamweight titlist, Ghaninan legends such as three-time champion Azumah Nelson and former belt-holder Ike Quartey, hail from the city of Accra. Nelson excelled as a featherweight (126) and super featherweight (130), and Quartey, as a welterweight (147).

Nelson and Quartey have made appearances at Agbeko's training sessions, encouraging him during his quest to be considered among the sport's best fighters, pound-for-pound.

Nicaraguan Jose Alfaro goes after his fourth straight victory, and his 21st knockout, on Saturday night when faces Mexican southpaw Antonio Demarco in their 135-pound clash at Treasure Island Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

Alfaro (23-4, 20 knockouts) is attempting to line himself up for another shot at the WBA lightweight crown, which he won in December of 2007 by split decision over Thailand's Prawet Singwancha.

Alfaro, however, was promptly dethroned by Japan's Yusuke Kobori, who stopped him in the third round of his first defense in May of 2008.

Yonnhy Perez was trailing badly in the last round against South African Silence Mbuza, before a hostile crowd in Johannesburg, when he began thinking about his wife and two young sons.

"I remembered my kids back in Colombia and all the needs that my family has. I went out there with all my faith and trust in my preparation," said Perez, who lives and trains in Sante Fe Springs, Calif., away from his family.

"What I remember the most going into the 12th round was knowing that it was a very difficult fight for me going throughout the first 11. It was a very close fight," said the 30-year-old fighter. "I asked God to help me. I asked God for strength. For he was the only one who knew how hard I had worked to get to that point, how tough it was to get to that opportunity."

On Halloween night in Las Vegas, King Kong will return to American soil in an attempt to strike terror in the heart of at least one man at Treasure Island Resort and Casino.

The fighter who goes by the nickname, "King Kong," is Joseph Agbeko of Accra, Ghana, a 118-pound, beast of an IBF bantamweight champion with a record of 27-1 with 22 knockouts.

Agbeko, 29, is direct regarding what he plans to do to Colombian-born power-puncher Yonnhy Perez (19-0, 14 knockouts), of Sante Fe Springs, Calif., in defense of his title.

"I predict a knockout," he said, "because I know I'm going to knock him out."

At age 78, boxing promoter Don King is still at it.

The man who brought the world "The Rumble In The Jungle" on Oct. 30, in 1974, featuring Muhammad Ali's dramatic, eighth-round knockout of George Foreman in Kinshasa, Zaire, will celebrate that event's 35th anniversary on Halloween with the first-ever, boxing event to be held at Las Vegas' Treasure Island.

That's when IBF bantamweight (118 pounds) titlist Joseph Agbeko (27-1, 22 knockouts) will put his crown on the line against Colombia native Yonnhy Perez (19-0, 14 KOs) of Santa Fe Springs, Calif., as part of an event to be televised on Showtime.

"This event at Treasure Island is going to be a great festival. I'm bringing the eighth wonder of the world to Las Vegas, King Kong," said King, referring to the nickname given Agbeko for his ferocity in the ring.