Report/Photos Boxing Bob Newman
Undefeated featherweight Alberto Machado (19-0, 16 KOs) scored an eighth round knockout over Jezreel Corrales (22-2, 8 KOs) to claim the vacant WBA”regular” super featherweight title on Saturday night at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York. Only Machado was eligible to win the WBA title as Machado lost his WBA belt on the scale Friday.
Corrales got off to an early lead and knocked down Machado in round five. In round six, Machado stormed back and hurt Corrales. Corrales had the edge in round seven. The end came in round eight, when Machado turned around a losing fight with a left-right combo, dropping Corrales, who got up wobbly and was not allowed to continue by referee Mark Nelson. Time was 2:15.
While it was mathematically possible for Machado to turn the fight around on points, he was in a bit of a hole, trailing 68-64 on two cards and 67-65 on the third. Machado celebrated with his wife and newborn daughter at ringside before heading to the dressing room for the post fight medical exam.