Angel Fierro shrugged off two early round knockdowns to come back and stop former junior lightweight beltholder Alberto Machado in round six of their 10-round lightweight bout in Salinas, Puerto Rico
In round one, Machado dropped Fierro with a perfect counter right. In round two, it was another right that put Fierro on the deck.
Fierro started turning momentum in round four by working the body, and in round six, he landed a vicious left-right combination hat sent Machado crashing to the canvas. Machado could not beat the count and the fight was stopped at 47 seconds.
Fierro of Tijuana, MX is now 18-1-1 with 14 knockouts. Machado, 136 lbs of Rio Piedras, PR is 22-3.
“I’m happy, I faced a top-notch fighter tonight in Alberto Machado,” said Fierro, who was a three-to-one underdog. “He is world class and dropped me twice. But I am ecstatic that I was able to come back and beat a fighter of his caliber.”
“He dropped me twice in the beginning of the fight,” added Fierro. “When I got back to my corner, I told them, ‘remind me of my daughter.’ Because with this fight I can change her life and that’s exactly what they did after the third round. They motivated me and that’s exactly what I did.”
“We found a lot of gaps in Machado’s game in the sixth round,” stated Fierro. “I took advantage of them and I turned it around. I told you in the interview (before the fight), I didn’t come here to be a tourist in Puerto Rico. I came here to win.”
Ibarra Decisions Cornejo
Alma Ibarra won a eight-round unanimous decision over Maricela Cornejo in a middleweight bout.
Ibarra, 156 lbs of Monterrey, MEX won by scores of 79-73 twice and 77-75 and is now 8-1. Cornejo, 158 1/2 lbs of Los Angles is 13-5.
“Now the world knows who Alma Ibarra is and what she is made of,” said the victor. “To everyone, I was a stranger. And to fight against someone who is very recognized worldwide in Maricela Cornejo and beat her, this opened many doors for us.”
“I felt very good, very strong, as this is a division that I am not used to,” said Ibarra. “I always fight in lower divisions, we had to go up two divisions to take this great opportunity, and well, I think we were not wrong to take this risk.”
Martinez and Gonzalez fight to Draw
Jose Martinez and Israel Gonzalez fought to a 10-round draw in a super flyweight bout.
Gonzalez took a card 96-94 while two cards read even at 95-95.
Martinez, 117 3/4 of Las Marias, PR is now 21-1-3. Gonzalez, 117 lbs of Las Cabos, MEX is 26-4-1.
“I felt his punches, but I was the superior fighter tonight,” said Gonzalez. “He might have won three rounds but it’s OK. I’m thankful to Puerto Rico and all of the people that gave me an opportunity to be here.”
“I feel happy, satisfied with the work I did,” said Martinez. “I understand that I was fighting against a strong opponent and that I won. I pushed more. I was on top of him, but these things happen in boxing. Now it’s a matter of continuing to train, maintain myself and seek that title opportunity.”
Former world champion Angel Acosta won an eight-round unanimous decision over Gilberto Mendoza in a flyweight contest.
In Round seven, Acosta dropped Mendoza with a left hook.
Acosta, 114 lbs of San Juan, PR won by scores of 79-72 on all cards and is now 22-2. Mendoza, 113 lbs of Modesto, CA is 17-10-3.
Edwin Valentin stopped Hector Marengo at the start of round five of a scheduled six-round lightweight bout.
Marengo did not answer the bell to start the fifth round, but the official time was 11 seconds.
Valentin, 135 lbs of Salinas, PR is 10-0 with nine knockouts. Marengo, 135 1/4 lbs of Arecibo, PR is 7-15-4.
Jose Roman remained undefeated with an eight-round unanimous decision over Roque Junco.
Roman, 146 1/2 lbs of Bayamon, PR won by scores of 80-71 and 80-72 twice and is now 11-0. Junco, 146 lbs of Cordobo, ARG is 10-8-1.
Joe Ward avenged his lone professional setback by pounding out a six-round unanimous decision over Marco Delgado in a light heavyweight fight.
Ward, 173.8 lbs of Moate, IRL won by scores of 60-54 on all cards and is now 3-1. Delgado, 173.6 lbs of Turlock, CA is 7-2.