LAS VEGAS – Vladimir Shishkin fended off a former super middleweight champion Saturday night to inch closer toward his own world title shot.

The unbeaten Russian contender defeated Jose Uzcategui by unanimous decision in their 12-round IBF 168-pound elimination match. Judges Max De Luca (117-111), Patricia Morse Jarman (117-111) and David Sutherland (115-113) all scored Shishkin the winner of a co-feature Showtime televised from The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

Shishkin (14-0, 8 KOs) became the IBF’s second-ranked contender in the super middleweight division thanks to his victory over Uzcategui (32-5, 27 KOs). It is possible that Shiskhin will face the IBF’s number one contender, Cuba’s William Scull (20-0, 9 KOs), for the IBF 168-pound championship if undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez declines to make a mandatory defense of the IBF belt he owns.

Tijuana’s Uzcategui entered the ring ranked seventh among the IBF’s 168-pound contenders, two positions ahead of Shishkin.

The 31-year-old Shishkin faded during the later rounds, but he had built enough of a lead to withstand the Venezuelan veteran’s charge. The harder-hitting Uzcategui couldn’t hurt Shishkin, despite that his opponent appeared tired toward the end of their fight.

Uzcategui drilled Shishkin with a right hand early in the 12th round. Another right hand by Uzcategui caught Shishkin flush in the opening minute of the final round.

A tiring Shishkin tried to fend off an assertive Uzcategui throughout the 11th round, but Shishkin had little snap on his punches by that point.

Uzcategui caught Shishkin with a right hand as Shishkin moved straight backward toward the end of the 10th round. Shishkin landed a right hand, but Uzcategui fired right back with a left hand early in the 10th round.

Uzcategui landed several flush right hands on Shishkin in the final 30 seconds of the ninth round. Uzcategui landed a right hand 50 seconds into the ninth round, which made Shishkin hold him.

Uzcategui rocked Shishkin with a vicious right uppercut that connected with just over a minute to go in the eighth round. Early in the eighth round, Uzcategui caught Shishkin with a right hand, but Shishkin came right back with a left hook.

Uzcategui pressured Shishkin throughout the seventh round, yet he had difficulty catching his moving target with clean punches.

Shishkin landed two right hands in less than 10 seconds during the final minute of the sixth round, in which Shishkin boxed well. Shishkin connected with another right uppercut early in the sixth round.

Uzcategui and Shishkin hit each other after the bell sounded to end the fifth round.

Shishkin caught Uzcategui with a right hand in an exchange just before the fourth round ended. Ruiz warned Shishkin for rabbit punching at the halfway point of the fourth round.

About 30 seconds into the third round, Ruiz warned both boxers for failing to follow his instructions. Shishkin connected with several straight rights and a right uppercut later in the third round.

Shishkin countered Uzcategui with a left hook on the inside about 45 seconds into the second round. Shishkin connected with two more left hooks later in the second round.

Uzcategui drilled Shishkin with an overhand right very early in the second round.

Uzcategui’s right cross caught Shishkin just after the midway mark of the opening round. A left-right combination by Uzcategui snapped back Shishkin’s head barely 30 seconds into their fight.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.