By Miguel Rivera

WBA super featherweight champion Alberto "El Explosivo" Machado could very well make his fist world title defense on May 5th, as part of the HBO Pay-Per-View undercard to the middleweight rematch between Gennady Golovkin and Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez.

Machado, whose career is managed by the Miguel Cotto Promotions, captured the title of the World Boxing Association (WBA) with a sensational knockout of Jezreel Corrales last year in an HBO televised clash.

If Machado is positioned in that direction, there are three options being considered.

Among the options if Ghanaian contender Rafael Mensah (31-0 and 23KO's), who is ranked second under the WBA. And the other two are a pair of former champions, Olympic gold medal winner Yuriorkis Gamboa and tough Mexican Francisco "El Bandido" Vargas.

Gamboa is coming back from what some felt was a controversial decision win over Jason Sosa, while Vargas bounced back from his first career defeat with a decision win over Stephen Smith last December.

If Machado goes in another direction, it would be possible come in the form of being the headliner of an HBO televised date on May 12, against one the three previously mentioned names.

"For Machado we have two options. He could open the pay per view of the May 5 event, as he could also be part of another event on the HBO platform on May 12," explained Héctor Soto, vice president of Miguel Cotto Promotions, to Carlos Narvaez.

 "Those two options are the ones that are being negotiated right now and will face the best fighter available. They have mentioned Mensah, who is from the stable of fighters belonging to Don King, Gamboa and Francisco Vargas."

Machado has a perfect record of 19-0 and 16 knockouts and he is quickly being pushed as one of the fast rising stars in the boxing market of Puerto Rico boxing market.