Joseph Agbeko has called for an immediate rematch after a controversial defeat to Abner Mares for the IBF world title and the finale of the Showtime Bantamweight Tournament in Las Vegas.

Mares picked up a majority decision, with two judges calling it 115-111 and the other 113-113, but it was the performance of referee Russell Mora that attracted most of the post-fight fallout.

He failed to deduct Mares a point despite several warnings for low blows and then awarded him a knockdown in the penultimate round for a punch he has already deemed as illegal.

"I had two opponents in the ring - Abner Mares and the referee," said Ghana's Agbeko. "The referee took away my title tonight not Abner Mares."

But Mares - who has not ruled out a rematch - claimed he had only done what had been required to get the win.

"The first knock down was good and the second one I hit him on the belt," said Mares adding that Agbeko's tactic of using his arm to force Mares head down prompted the blows below the belt. "He (Agbeko) was holding me down."