Edwin Valero is targeting a fight with Manny Pacquiao after he stopped Antonio DeMarco on Saturday night to defend his WBC lightweight title.

The Venezuelan sensation also extended his perfect record to 27 knockouts in 27 fights when his Mexican opponent's corner decided to throw in the towel after nine rounds of their bout at the Arena Monterrey.

Valero had suffered a bad cut above his right eye in the second round but after his corner managed to stem the blood, the rampant 28-year-old began to take control of the contest and was clearly out to land a knockout blow.

DeMarco had some bright moments of his own but by the end of the ninth round he simply couldn't take anymore punishment and made no protest when the towel was thrown in.

After the fight Valero said he was prepared to move up several weight categories to take on pound-for-pound king Pacquiao.

He said: "That's the fight the world wants to see."

However it could prove difficult to arrange with Valero being refused permission to fight in the USA for most of his career.

That was first because he couldn't get a licence due to a head injury sustained in a motorcycle crash, and now after being denied a visa following a charge of drunken driving in Texas.