BOXING: Jim Rock's senses were momentarily lost to him in the ninth round of his world title fight against England's Takaloo but his sense of humour wasn't. The Iranian-born light middleweight landed a right hand that originated down around his waist as he crouched under the Rock defence and exploded it into the side of the Dubliner's head.

Rock, who had never been knocked onto the canvass, bravely climbed to his feet and clearly wobbled. He was helpless and unfocused when referee Mickey Vann rightly stepped in to bring an end to his bid for the WBU world title and perhaps his career.

"That was a hell of a punch, wasn't it?" Rock was asked after the bout. "I don't know," he replied. "I'll see it on television later. I don't even know where the f**kin' punch came from. I don't know. I can't remember being down."

Rock (30), who yesterday attended a charity football match at Tolka Park, declared his retirement in the afterwards but later stood back from confirming it. "I don't know whether I will box again. I only want to fight if I can beat people at this level. I don't really need fights. I've a wife and a business. I'll have to sit down now and think about it. I thought I was sneaking the rounds until I got caught with that big overhand right. But good luck to him. He was the better fighter."

Rock was marked in front after five rounds by three of the English judges. But Takaloo's reputation as a ferocious puncher had preceded him. Lithe and unusually powerful, he always carried the threat of off-loading a title winner.

Rock had confounded the Margate-based fighter for most of the first half of the contest and while Takaloo was getting through with jabs, several times when he tried to unload one of his trademark uppercuts, Rock defensively reacted. Tying up his opponent and hustling in close to prevent the 27-year-old using the space and longer-range to effect, Rock looked as though he was going to frustrate him enough to take the fight to 12 rounds and have it decided on points.

Certainly he wasn't tiring and if marks on a fighter's face are said to be the sum of his mistakes, then the unscathed Rock was fighting the perfect bout. In the seventh round Takaloo was more on target, landing frequent jabs and stinging straight rights.

A wry smile from the Dubliner indicated that while he was being hit, his chin was up to the challenge. But by then Takaloo was assembling Rock's downfall and pawing his opponent's head twice to measure that wonderful right hand, and he settled it in the flash of a glove with his 15th knock-out in 23 fights.

With it Takaloo regained the belt he had won in 2001 then lost on a points decision against the respected Daniel Santos last year.

"This is no time for Jim to make a decision," said Rock's manager Brian Peters. "I said to him you don't make decisions after a fight like this. You sit on it."

Neil Sinclair's questions were significantly clearer. The 27-year-old from Belfast became only the third Ulster boxer after Freddie Gilroy, Sam Storey and Hugh Russell to win a Lonsdale belt outright when he stopped Welshman Bradley Pryce in the ninth round for the British welterweight title.

Sinclair is now looking for his second shot at a WBU world title, something with which promoter Frank Warren is anxious to oblige given the success of the two most recent Belfast shows.

"I've spoken to Frank Warren. Neil will be going for a world title in Belfast," said Richard Maynard, a Warren associate.