By Elisinio Castillo
Coliseo Bernardo Caraballo in Cartagena, Colombia - Featherweight puncher Miguel Marriaga (25-1, 21 KOs) blasted out Eduardo Montoya (19-6-1, 13 KOs) in three rounds to retain the NABO championship.
Marriaga wasted no time in letting his hands go with the big punches flying from the onset. Montoya was dropped three times in the second round and then stopped in the third.
Marriaga is the WBO's number one ranked contender and he's in line to face undefeated WBO featherweight world champion Oscar Valdez. Both Marriaga and Valdez are promoted by Top Rank.
This was the fifth ring appearance for Marriaga (24-1, 20KOs) since his 12-round decision loss to Nicholas Walters in a failed bid for the featherweight title last June. The 30-year old boxer from Cartagena was stepping way up in class for his HBO debut, which garnered extra attention after Walters missed weight.
Marriaga failed to take advantage of the situation, but showed his toughness in lasting all 12 rounds. He has since scored four straight wins, including a minor upset in a 6th round knockout of Guy Robb this past August in Fallon, Nevada.
Montoya had won two straight versus made-to-order competition following a points loss to unbeaten Filipino prospect Mark Magsayo this past February in Cebu, Philippines. Friday's bout marked just his second outside of his native Mexico.
The fight was presented by Felix 'Tuto' Zabala's All-Star Boxing, Inc. as part of a three fight card that was air lived on Win Sport and TeleCaribe in Colombia.
