Ghana's Joseph Agbeko ended Armenian-Australian Vic Darchinyan's dream of a third world title with a unanimous points win in Miami on Sunday.

Darchinyan finished with deep cuts to both eyes after 12 bruising rounds for the International Boxing Federation bantamweight title, and had no answer to Agbeko's accurate left jabs.

"He's not better than me but he was today," Darchinyan said. "I went for a big punch and I paid for it. It was a close decision and I lost."

The cuts to Darchinyan's eyes went right to the bone and required a number of stitches. "The loss is disappointing for Vic," Darchinyan's manager Elias Nasser said.

"I believe he could still have won the fight had he stepped into the ring and stuck to the pre-fight plan and not gone looking to end Agbeko with one big left.

"While Agbeko deserves full credit for winning, I believe the reason Vic lost was because he kept taking the wrong options and didn't take the opportunities to put his opponent away when they arose. I'll be asking for a rematch."

Darchinyan, who now plans to return to his native Armenia for a brief holiday, was hoping to become only the second boxer in history, after Mexico's Fernando Montiel, to claim flyweight, super-flyweight and bantamweight world titles.

Darchinyan also hoped to join Jeff Fenech as the only Australian to win three world titles in three weight divisions. Fenech won his world titles in the bantamweight, super-bantamweight and featherweight divisions.

Agbeko overcame a controversial knockdown in the seventh round to improve to 27-1 and drop the undisputed super-flyweight world champion's record to 32-2 with one draw.

"This win means a lot to me," Agbeko said. "This is my time to shine. I prepared very well. I didn't prepare to be a champion for a short time. I want to reign for a long time."

Agbeko made the second successful defence of the crown he first won with a seventh-round defeat of Nicaraguan Luis Perez two years ago.

He started the bout by opening up a cut over Darchinyan's left eye in just the second round and smashed the Australian southpaw's nose in the fifth.

Darchinyan countered in the seventh by pushing Agbeko down to his right knee while landing a left in what was called a knockdown by referee Tom Kimmons.

Controversial co-promoter Don King later called the referee's decision "the worst I've seen". Once Agbeko was back on his feet, he opened up Darchinyan's right eye in what was ruled by Kimmons to be an accidental clash of heads. Darchinyan shoved Agbeko to the canvas in the 10th and 11th rounds, but could not send him down with punches that counted.

"I knew to watch for head butts. I didn't, and I paid for it," Darchinyan said. "I took bad tactics. No excuses. He was great at moving. I couldn't find the right position. I know my mistakes. That's what I will work on."