PORTLAND, Maine. Dec II: Olzubek "Gussie" Nazarov knocked out Joey Gamache

2:50 into the second round Saturday to retain the World Boxing Association lightweight title, reports AP.

A left hook by Nazarov in the first broke Gamache's nose, and another sent the stunned challenger to the canvas In the next round.

"He caught me with a good shot. He's a surprisingly strong fighter." Gamache said afterward at the Cumberland Country Civic Center. "I think he’s an underrated champion."

Nazarov, a native of Kyrgyzstan, said his goal is to unify the lightweight championship. preferably against Oscar be La Hoya, who defended his WBO lightweight title Saturday by stopping challenger Johnny Avila In the ninth round.

In the opening round.

Nazarov used his height and reach advantage to score effective blows against Gamache, who admitted he never reached his stride and missed with several punches.

The left-handed Nazarov opened a cut under the challenger’s right eye in the first and brought him to his knee early in the second. Referee John Coyle waved off a standing eight oount before Gamache was stunned with a left hook later in the- round.

Gamache fell backward and hit the canvas hard. He tried to get up at the count of eight but couldn’t do it.

"If he hadn’t been hit early, it would have been a different fight," said Don Turner. Gamache's trainer. The guy hurt him and he had never been hurt like this before."

Gamache, who lives in Lewiston, came Into the light with a record of 36-1 with 22 knockouts. He had been walt-ing Impatiently for another

shot at the title after losing the WBA lightweight title in his first defense against Tony The Tiger" Lopez in 1992.

Nazarov's 15th knockout brought his record to 20-0.

Speaking through an interpreter. Nazarov said he knew in the first round that his powerful left was going to stop Gamache.

Nazarov earned the lightweight title by beating Dingaan Thobela of South Africa. Before turning pro. he was a three-tlme all-Soviet amateur lightweight champion and the European lightweight champion.

The fighters were subdued in the week leading up to the bout, which was dubbed The ^^amache displayed none of the bravado he demonstrated when he paraded into a news conference in a safari outfit with a stuffed tiger before suffering his first professional loss against Lopez.