Ouma down in round one...

By Paul Upham: Former IBF junior middleweight champion Kassim Ouma got up off the canvas in round one to win a twelve round split points over Marco Antonio Rubio on Saturday night in the main support bout to De La Hoya vs. Mayorga at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, USA. Ouma 24-2-1 (15), originally from Uganda, was stunned and down in round one after receiving two strong right hands from Mexican Rubio. But the 27 year-old southpaw shook off the knockdown and came back in rounds 2, 3 and 4 to erase his first round deficit. 25 year-old Rubio 32-3-1 (29) found his right hand again in round 4 to remain in the fight, but Ouma dominated rounds 10 and 11 as his opponent tired.Ouma's right eye was badly swollen after twelve rounds as evidence of the tough battle he had been in. The two boxers embraced at the final bell, then raised their hands in perceived victory to the crowd.Judges scored the fight for Ouma 117-110, 113-114 and 116-111. Ouma retained his NABO junior middleweight titlePaul Upham Contributing Editor