Juergen Braehmer of Germany defeated Enzo Maccarinelli of Wales by technical knockout after five rounds Saturday to keep his WBA light heavyweight belt.
Maccarinelli was had his right eye swollen shut already by the end of the second round, when he said he wanted to continue despite being unable to see ''anything'' with it.
A doctor examined the eye in the third and fifth rounds, declaring the 33-year-old fit to continue both times.
Just as the sixth was about to begin, Maccarinelli's trainer, Gary Lockett, said, ''I can't let him go on. I can't let him go on.''
The 35-year-old Braehmer improves to 43-2 (32 KOs) with the first successful defense of the title he won by beating American Marcus Oliveira in December.
Maccarinelli drops to 38-7 (30 KOs).
