TIJUANA – The closest comparison to the triumph Tijuana fighter Antonio DeMarco achieved Saturday night is when Julio César Chávez beat Meldrick Taylor in the last round that faraway March of 1990.

That's the excitement DeMarco's victory has stirred by beating Venezuela fighter Jorge Linares in the 11th round at Staples Center to become the World Boxing Council's lightweight champion.

DeMarco (26-2-1-19 KOs) was losing to a speedy and accurate Linares (31-2-0-20 KOs), who was controlling the rhythm of the bout; just like he vowed to do as he trained with Manny Pacquiao.

In the memorable sixth round, the boxers exchanged their best combinations, however Linares suffered a deep gash to his nose that his handlers were never able to control and which ended up bothering him the rest of the match.

For the epic 11th round, DeMarco's trainer, Rómulo Quirarte, told him that he had to knock out his opponent if he wanted to taste victory.

DeMarco revealed after the match what his trainer told him: To remember when he had nothing and slept on the street, to win for his daughter, for his family, for himself, to use all of that to inspire him to give all he had.

The message appeared to be the engine that powered DeMarco, who unleashed a series of blows a medium distance against Linares, who at that point had won at least eight of the ten rounds.

Linares, who also was putting everything on the line, received a lethal combination to his face, first from the left then from the right, which dazed him.

DeMarco seemed disconcerted with the effect this barrage. He then launched another series of combinations that led the referee to stop the fight, since Linares was no longer reacting.

This city, cradle to great fighters, witnessed the triumph Sept. 17 of Erik "Terrible" Morales, who at age 35 won his fourth world title by beating Pablo César Cano.

On Saturday night local fans celebrated another world champion in DeMarco, who is 25 years old.

He arrived during his adolescence from his native city of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, because he wanted to learn how to box. He landed at the Crea public gym, home to the respected Quirarte family, where he learned the ABCs of boxing.

His triumph also launches a new, very interesting generation of Tijuana boxers who are drawing attention. They include David De la Mora, Marvin Quintero and Juan Pablo "Cheché" López.

DeMarco is son-in-law of the Tijuanan Raúl "Jíbaro" Pérez, a twice former world champion, and grandson by marriage of his trainer, the legendary Rómulo Quirarte. His grandfather and uncle were also professional boxers.

Perhaps they have known DeMarco has the heart of a champion, something the rest of the region can now savor.

Omar.millan@sandierogred.com