Joshua Clottey is new IBF welterweight champion

Ghana's Joshua Clottey beat American Zab Judah after nine rounds to win the IBF welterweight title in Las Vegas.

The fight ended after Judah said he could not see because of a cut above his right eye.

Referee Robert Byrd had ruled the cut was caused by an accidental clash of heads, so the result was then decided by the scorecards.

Two of the judges scored it 86-85 for Clottey and the other scored it 87-84 for the Ghanaian fighter.

Afterwards, Clottey said he was "very hopeful" of meeting WBA champion Antonio Margarito, who knocked out Miguel Cotto last week, in his next bout.

In 2006, Clottey lost a close decision to Margarito in a fight he was winning until he broke a knuckle in his right hand in the fifth round.

On Saturday, Judah began the busier fighter, showing fast hands and throwing effective combinations behind a stinging southpaw jab.

However, Clottey kept a tight defence and blocked many of Judah's punches on his arms and gloves.

Clottey began steadily closing the distance between himself and his opponent from the third round, landing an increasing number of heavy blows that took their toll on the New York fighter.

And although Judah staged a comeback in the sixth, circling Clottey and landing flurries, his output dropped in the seventh and his right eye began to swell in the eighth.

Clottey appeared to be dominating the ninth round when the bout was stopped reported the BBC.

According to the Daily Graphic, Bukom the cradle of boxing in Ghana and the birth place of the new IBF welterweight champion, Josua 'The Hitler' Clottey in Accra was thrown into wild celebrations following the announcement of his victory early on Sunday.

The announcement was a much awaited one as the whole of Bukom had kept vigil throughout the early hours of Sunday to spiritually urge their idol on to victory.

Fans had filled-spaces in every, corner and open space, provided a television screen was available.

Of course, this was expected of a community that has produced boxing greats like Azumah Nelson, Ike Quartey and Alfred Kotey.

People of all ages, mostly sportting white Clottey-branded T-shirts and white armbands, gathered on the streets of Bukom and started a procession amid chanting of cheer songs and dancing.

Within minutes the number of overjoyed fans had snowballed as some drivers and motorbike riders joined in to openly express their joy. This left virtually no space on the streets of Bukom and its surrounding communities.

An international boxing Referee, Roger Barnor, who was part of the procession, told the Daily Graphic that he had not seen such a large number of people celebrate on the streets of Bukom for a long time.

"From what I saw at dawn today it is evident that Clottey's victory has brought joy to many hearts. I also think that the fact that Bukom is Clottey's birth place contributed to the intensity of the celebrations because a native of the small community had risen to world fame," he said.

Deafening music from bars and sound systems of cars, as well as energy-sapping dancing among the overjoyed fans, was the order of the early Sunday morning.

This continued till daybreak when some tired limbs began to retire to their homes.

However, a visit to the area around mid-day on Sunday showed the merry-making had stopped - a complete contrast of what had taken place some hours earlier.

But at least-one out of every eight persons spotted was either wearing a Clottey-branded T-shirt or white bands while banners of the new champion had been hoisted between tall electric poles at most junctions.

Clottey's mother, Memuna Ansah, who spoke to the Daily Graphic at her residence which is a stone's throw from the Bukom Square, said her son's victory was an answered prayer by Allah.

"My son had this talent since childhood and I knew that one day he would become a world champion. Immediately after the news of his victory was announced I said 'thank you' to Allah for answering my prayer. I want my son to hold on to this title till I die. God willing we will go to the airport and welcome him in style on the day of his arrival," she said.

Indeed, the fanfare had started several hours in the build-up to the fight on Saturday afternoon when some fans in Mamprobi, another suburb of Accra, took to the streets and continuously chanted various 'jama' songs.