DeMarco lost most of the early rounds, but opened a cut on the bridge of Linares’ nose.
The Mexican gained strength during a one-sided 11th round, which was finally stopped with 28 seconds left, giving him back the belt he lost to the late Edwin Valero last year.
DeMarco, a Tijuana native, said his trainer told him before the 11th round “to do it for my daughter and for everything I’ve been through in my life.”
“He’s a great champion, but this is a dream come true,” DeMarco said. “Tonight was my night, and who knows, the next time might be your night, but it was a great fight.”
Linares, a former featherweight champion, led 99-91 on one judge’s card and 98-92 on the other two cards before the turnaround.
“It was a head-butt that broke my nose,” Linares said. “The blood really bothered me, and I couldn’t see. It was a big factor in the fight. I did the best that I could. I was dominating the fight with my speed and technique, but I couldn’t see. I want the rematch.”
Danny Garcia also defeated American compatriot Kendall Holt to remain unbeaten with a split-decision victory in the WBO’s Inter-Continental light welterwight decider on the undercard of the Bernard Hopkins-Chad Dawson light heavyweight title fight at Staples Center.
Garcia earned a likely shot at the WBC junior welterweight title by largely closing Holt’s left eye while showing off superior speed. Garcia hopes to become a player in the highly competitive division after three wins in 2011.
“I feel phenomenal,” Garcia said. “It’s been a long journey. I really think I’m the best fighter he’s ever fought, and I proved my critics wrong tonight. My game plan was to stay and box, and not trade, and keep my composure. He hit me with a few good punches. That’s what I train for, and I got the job done.”
Judge Wayne Hedgepeth scored the bout 115-113 for Holt, awarding five straight middle rounds to the veteran. The other two judges scored it 117-111 for Garcia.
Holt, a former junior welterweight champion, has fought just four times since losing his belt to Timothy Bradley in April 2009.
“He outhustled me,” Holt said. “I was looking for the knockout too much. I was looking for the knockout all night. I’ve got to go back to the drawing board, but I’m still going to fight.”
