MASHANTUCKET, Conn. -- Tim Austin used the jab, boxing's basic punch, to perfection Saturday night and retained the IBF bantamweight title with a unanimous decision over Ratanachai Vorapin.

In a battle of left-handers at the Foxwoods Resort Casino, Austin controlled the fight with punishing left jabs, and Vorapin was never able to launch a sustained attack.

Austin's eighth defense of the 118-pound title he won in 1997 preceded John Ruiz's WBA heavyweight title defense against Evander Holyfield.

The three official cards favored Austin 115-112, 117-110, and 118-109.

Vorapin shook Austin with a right to the head and the body in the third round. He also had the best of the sixth round, but lost a point in the round for a low blow.

Austin dominated the second half of the fight with jabs and one-twos, and Vorapin, from Thailand, simply could not solve the champion's style.

The 30-year-old Austin, 118, of Cincinnati, is 24-0-1 with 22 knockouts. Vorapin, also 30 and also 118, is 40-6 with 28 knockouts.

In a 10-round heavyweight fight, Tommy Martin, 241, of Davie, Fla., knocked out Craig Tomlinson, 236, of Reading, Pa., at 2:26 of the ninth round.

In two eight-round heavyweight bouts, Danny Williams, 258, the British heavyweight champion, stopped Shawn Robinson, 215, of Strafford, Mo., at 2:21 of the second round.

Nate Jones, 229, of Chicago, a 1996 Olympic bronze medalist, stopped Drexi Frank James, 202, of Miami, in the fourth round.