Japan's Takashi Uchiyama successfully defended the World Boxing Association (WBA) super featherweight title with a technical knockout victory over Angel Granados of Venezuela on Monday.

Granados was floored one minute 42 seconds into the sixth round by a powerful hook to the face. He stood up once but failed to make a fighting pose, forcing the referee to declare a technical knockout.

"I practiced that hook during my training, hitting the body and unleashing straights, and then hitting a right hook suddenly. I made it in the sixth round very well," said Uchiyama, 30.

"I also hit a lot more jabs than I had expected, so I expected it would damage Granados in the end."

Uchiyama fought aggressively from the start, often connecting an array of right hooks in each round, and sent Granados to the ropes several times.

Uchiyama, who wrested the title from Juan Carlos Salgado of Mexico also by a technical knockout in January, improved his unbeaten record to 15 wins, including 12 KOs.

Granados, 35 and ranked 13th in the WBA, saw his record reduced to 18 wins, including eight KOs, against nine defeats.