20.10.07 Bute crowned new IBF champ

Lucian Bute sported a nasty shiner and a big smile as he held up his IBF world boxing championship belt Friday.

The 27-year-old from Montreal via Romania stopped champion Alejandro Berrio at 1:24 of the 11th round of their super-middleweight title fight before a delirious crowd of 13,244 at Montreal's Bell Centre.

"He's the hardest hitter I've ever faced," said Bute (21-0), who won on his first attempt at a world title. "He hit me a couple of times, but I was never hurt.

"I'm proud of my performance."

Bute recovered from some early trouble to win most of the rounds until he backed the 26-5-0 Colombian into a corner in the 11th. He rocked Berrio with a hook and an uppercut and battered him until referee Marlon Wright stepped in to stop the bout.

Berrio, 31, lost in his first defence, having won the vacant 168-pound belt on March 3 by stopping Robert Stieglitz of Germany in the third round.

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