The Argentine journeyman had pushed former world champions Ricky Hatton and Stevie Johnston in world title fights on the way to a 46-4 win-loss record, but was outpointed by Bennett in all 10 rounds of their junior welterweight bout.

"To fight a guy of that calibre and his credentials and to beat him and I don't think he won one round on the scorecards I was very happy with that effort," Bennett said yesterday.

Newcastle's former World Boxing Foundation world welterweight champion said he had never felt fitter and was keen to maintain his condition before heading to the United States with Jeff Fenech next month to pursue further goals.

"Everyone I've spoken to reckoned it was the best performance of my career," he said.

"My fitness was the best it's been. I did 10 rounds comfortably and had a good work ethic, and that's the best condition I've ever been in at the lighter weight of 63.5 kilograms.

"Rios was tough as nails. I hit him with some good shots and he just kept coming. He hit me with a left hook in the second round which rocked me for a couple of seconds, but with my conditioning I recovered very quickly and I boxed him from then on and took the rounds.

"We stood toe to toe in the last and went for it. I tried to put him away . . . but I couldn't put him away. He's a really tough guy."

Bennett had hoped to claim the vacant IBO Asia-Pacific junior welterweight belt but, despite his attempts to lodge the necessary paperwork and fees, he said the IBO did not sanction the fight. But he was confident of securing a world title shot, possibly against IBO inter-continental champion Denis Shafikov in Finland early next year.

"Jeff's going to contact the IBO and see what's possible as far as a world title bout goes," he said.