Quebec.– South Africa's Ali Funeka was denied what seemed a convincing victory over Dominican Joan Guzman when their vacant IBF lightweight world title fight was scored a majority draw in Quebec City, Canada.

Funeka, 31, looked to have comprehensively out-boxed former two-time world champion Guzman, 33, over 12 rounds at the Pepsi Coliseum only to get the verdict from one of the three judges.

American Joe Pasquale gave the fight 116-112 to the South African but to even Guzman's apparent surprise, Canadian judges Benoit Roussel and Alan Davis both scored it a 114-114 draw and referee Jean-Guy Brousseau raised both fighters' hands as the contest was declared a majority draw.

The third draw of his professional career, Funeka moved to 30-2-3 (25 KOs) as a result while Guzman stayed undefeated at 29-0-1 (17 KOs).

Guzman, a former WBO champion at super bantamweight and super featherweight who vacated both titles, had been fighting for only the second time since relinquishing the latter title in 2007. Yet the New York-based 33-year-old got off to the more aggressive start against the rangy, 6ft 1ins Funeka.