In a rematch of an IBF junior bantamweight title match that ended in a split draw in December in Japan, it remained difficult to separate Willibaldo Garcia and Rene Calixto Bibano.

Bibano boxed the 12th round of a difficult fight to score as if he had the bout won late Friday night.

He did not.

Garcia (23-5-2), despite overdosing of right uppercut-left hook counters from Bibano, wasn't deterred en route to claiming the vacant title in Zacatecas, Mexico, by split decision.

Clearly the judges preferred his aggression over better accuracy and bodypunching from Bibano (23-1-1), who finally stood behind his superior jab later in the fight to stem Garcia's pressure.

It was, however, too late. Two judges scored it 115-113 and 116-112 for Garcia. The other scored for Bibano 115-113.

Bibano also had a nasty cut underneath his right eye that appeared to be from Garcia lunging inside to end the ninth.

The cut and swelling didn't appear to factor in the outcome between the Mexicans.

Garcia bullied his way to the inside throughout, rarely ever getting there behind his jab. Bibano allowed it, however, by using is jab infrequently and instead sitting on counters to make him pay.

That backfired in the scoring as his cleaner punching wasn't valued over Garcia's will and sheer volume that created a more favorable impression.

Garcia landed a strong counter left hook that appeared to stun Bibano in the seventh, but he smothered his work falling inside and didn't realize the impact.

Bibano bounced back and pushed Garcia backwards for the first time in the 10th, rendering his offensive attack ineffective for the first time.

But it wasn't enough in the end in the eyes of the judges as he tasted his first defeat.

When the two fought to a split draw six months ago, one judge scored it for Bibano (116-112), one for Garcia (118-110) and the other a draw (114-114).