Mzonke Fana has lost only four times in a boxing career spanning more than 10 years and 34 professional fights. On Wednesday night at Carnival City he avenged his most recent defeat, beating great rival Cassius Baloyi.

With a unanimous points victory, the nippy, quick-punching Fana, 35, smashed an opponent who is a year younger. Indeed, he turned the man they call "the Hit Man" into "the punch bag".

The prize was the vacant International Boxing Federation's junior lightweight title, which both fighters held at one time.

The judges gave the 12-round bout to Fana by margins of 119-109, 118-110 and 119-110. If anything, the runaway victory margin flattered Baloyi, who did not appear to have won a single round.

Baloyi appeared to have no strength in his legs as the man from Khayelitsha ran rings round him and punished him with a succession of blows.

Baloyi's courage was admirable in the circumstances, but it might have been foolhardy to allow the fight to continue when one boxer was barely able to defend himself.

Fana produced one of the most impressive performances of his career, but it was difficult to judge just how convincing the outcome was considering Baloyi's inability to make a fight of it.

Baloyi said afterwards he would have a long rest before deciding on his future, but the evidence suggests that it should not be necessary to wait that long before calling it a day.

The second IBF title fight on the Branco Promotions bill saw Moruti Mthalane retain his flyweight title against the promising, but relatively inexperienced Zolani Tete. It was as one-sided as the main bout, with the champion flooring his opponent three times and gaining a fifth-round TKO victory.

Mthalane fought cagily for the opening two rounds, then launched a vicious assault that left Tete tottering.