LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Argentina's Marcos Maidana stopped American Victor Ortiz in the sixth round to claim the World Boxing Association interim light welterweight championship.

Maidana improved to 26-1 with his 25th victory inside the distance, flattening Ortiz three times in the first two rounds and finishing him off 46 seconds into the sixth round, dropping the US prospect to 24-2 with one drawn.

Ukraine's Andreas Kotelnik, who won a split-decision victory over Maidana last February in Germany, remains the WBA world champion in the division. He is set to defend that crown against Britain's Amir Khan next month at Manchester.