Halifax’s Tyson Cave fell short in his bid to knock off one of the world’s top bantamweight boxers on Saturday.

Cave lost a technical decision to A.J. Banal in a bout for the World Boxing Organization’s Asia-Pacific crown in Lapu-Lapu City in central Philippines. The 29-year-old trailed on all scorecards (79-73, 78-74, 78-74) when the scheduled 12-round bout was called in the eighth because of a cut on Banal’s forehead.

Promoters for Banal, the WBO’s fifth-ranked bantamweight, were not happy with Cave’s approach to the fight.

“Was that a fight or a marathon? The guy keeps on running,” said Antonio Lopez Aldeguer, a Banal promoter, to the Cebu Sun Star. “We thought he would fight, but he was practically running.”

Cave, ranked 29th among super bantamweights by the World Boxing Council, was hoping to make a name for himself against Banal. He did plenty of talking in the buildup to the fight, and said afterward he didn’t get a fair shake from the judges in Banal’s hometown.

“I think I only lost one round and won seven,” Cave told the Sun Star.