By Rick Reeno

Junior welterweight contender Mike Alvarado stole the show on Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Alvarado (33-0, 23KOs) won a ten round unanimous decision over Mauricio Herrera (18-2), who took a lot of punishment in the contest. The fight was exciting and the action was non-stop.

"I could have had him out of there a few times if I would have put together a few more combinations on my part, cut him off a little bit more. He was awkward. He kept leaning down and his head way under when I threw punches. That's the way the fight went. I'm happy with it. I dominated. He was ready. He probably put on the best performance of his career. I think if I would have jumped on the gas a little bit more, I would have had him out of there," Alvarado told BoxingScene.com.

Alvarado-Herrera was part of a Top Rank/HBO split-site pay-per-view. In the pay-per-view main event, Juan Manuel Marquez headlined his own card in Mexico City, and won a twelve round unanimous decision over Sergey Fedchenko to capture the WBO's interim 140-pound title.

On the Mandalay portion of the card, Brandon Rios won a controversial twelve round split decision over Richard Abril.

Top Rank's tentative plan, at least before Saturday night, was to match Marquez and Rios on July 14th at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Based on their recent performances, Alvarado believes he earned the right to fight Marquez in July - and he promises fireworks and drama from the opening round.

"I want Marquez. I'm the one that deserves that fight. That's what I do, I come and steal the shows. I'm undefeated in the ring and I'm undefeated on the scale....I'm disciplined and I'm ready. I put on exciting shows. Why wouldn't they want me to step up and take that? I put on way better shows. I believe I should get that shot. I would be a way better opponent for him. I would be more of a man for that fight. I would make a better fight, I would come right at him. We'll see what they want to do and hopefully that shot opens up," Alvarado said to BoxingScene.

Tags: Juan Manuel Marquez , Mike Alvarado