Niida retains WBA minimumweight belt

Posted: Sat Mar 1 10:29 AM

Tokyo, Japan (Sports Network) - Japan's Yutaka Niida successfully defended his WBA minimumweight title with a sixth-round knockout of Venezuela's Jose Luis Varela.

Niida (23-1-3, 9 KOs) earned his ninth straight victory since suffering his lone loss -- a split decision against Noel Arambulet in July 2003. Niida beat Arambulet a year later to capture the WBA belt and has made seven successful defenses since.

Saturday's victory, which came at 2:16 of the sixth round, was Niida's first by knockout in a title defense.

Varela fell to 15-4.