And Canizales went for the kill in the 12th and final round. After a barrage of punches a storming straight right dropped Lu and the referee waved it off as the final bell was about to sound.

The exhausted, stricken 23-year-old left the ring at the Axiata Arena on a stretcher wearing an oxygen mask.

Lu is a former youth world amateur champion from Jinan in Shandong province trained by Manny Pacquiao’s long-time corner man Buboy Fernandez.

“It was hard for me to figure out his style,” said Canizales who extended his unbeaten record to 21 wins and a lone draw. “I also fought as an amateur so I understood the rhythm, I was ready for him.”

Victory for Lu would have set a record for fastest man to win a world title, in terms of number of fights.

That record is jointly held by Thai super lightweight Saensak Muangsurin and Ukrainian lightweight Vasyl Lomachenko, who both won championships in their third pro bouts.

Earlier Moruti Mthalane from KwaZulu Natal in South Africa got off the canvas to take home the vacant International Boxing Federation flyweight title by outpointing Waseem Muhammad, who was bidding to become Pakistan’s first ever world champion.

“Baby Face” Mthalane had been in control of a hard-fought contest for long periods until Waseem found a stinging left to drop him to the floor just seconds from the end of the 11th round.

The 12th round turned into an all-action brawl as both men tried to finish it.

But Mthalane had done enough to edge a unanimous decision 114-113, 114-113 and 116-110 on the three judges’ cards and extend his career record to 36 wins with two defeats.

For 2014 Commonwealth Games silver medallist Waseem it was a first loss in his ninth professional contest.