By Miguel Rivera
After being inactive for more than a year and a half, Diego Magdaleno (30-2, 13 KOs) finally returned to the ring in Playa del Carmen in Mexico to secure a fifth round stoppage win over Emanuel Herrera.
The last time Magdaleno was in the ring was on October 7, 2016, when he picked up a unanimous decision win over Art Hovhannisyan at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles.
Prior to that, Magdaleno was demolished in two rounds by then WBO lightweight champion Terry Flanagan in 2013. Magdaleno also failed in his prior attempt to capture a world title from Roman Martinez in 2013.
Magdaleno, who is the older brother of former world champion Jessei Magdaleno, is being helped in his latest comeback by promoter Pepe Gomez of Cancun Boxing.
And Magdaleno is now being trained by Jose Benavidez Sr. - who also trains sons David Benavidez and Jose Benavidez Jr.
"I have a complete team, that has faith in me, they will see what I have inside, the fire in my fists. I'm coming to show everyone that the fire is on," said Magdaleno. "My plan has always been to capture the world title and with the team I have now - we will do it."
Magdaleno said that in two or three fights he will be ready for a world title fight - and he would like to challenge Mexican Ray Beltran, who holds the lightweight championship of the World Boxing Organization (WBO), or Vasyl Lomachenko, who recently won the WBA title.
Although to get to those fights, first has to give a forceful performance in Playa del Carmen, where he will face Emmanuel Herrera, said his coach.
"To fight with them, you have to look spectacular. I'm sure that he will do well, and from there we can think about and ask for those big names," Benavidez Sr. said.
Finally, Benavidez Sr. added that his new pupil has really looked good as of late.
"I see power and that hunger for work, I have a lot of faith in him, he want to be seen to be in proper form," Benavidez Sr. said.