Don Haskins Center, El Paso, Texas - Miguel Marriaga has had three cracks at world title. He is well on his way to a fourth.
Marriaga (27-3, 23 KOs) knocked out Jose Estrella (20-15-1, 14 KOs) with a left hook to the body in the fourth round to stake his claim as a top featherweight contender. Marriaga, a Colombian power puncher, has won two straight fights since defeats in world title bouts against Vasiliy Lomachenko and Oscar Valdez.
“He was a very tough and strong opponent," Marriaga said. "I know he trained hard for this fight, but I trained harder. In the end, my experience was key in getting the victory. The plan was to attack the body and that’s exactly what I did. I knocked him out with a huge left hook to the body.
“I know that I have what it takes to become a world champion. I want to challenge for another world title!”
In the main event, Miguel Berchelt knocked fellow Mexican Miguel Roman down three times en route to a ninth-round knockout to retain his World Boxing Council junior lightweight title.
The younger Berchelt defended his title for the fourth time before a loud crowd that was mostly there to extend their support to Roman.
The 26-year-old Berchelt improved to 35-1 with 31 career knockouts while Roman dropped 60-13 overall.
Berchelt pounded Roman at will in the eighth round and before referee Jon Schorle stopped it with just two seconds to go in the ninth.
Roman suffered a cut over his left eye in the eighth and it was apparent he was running out of gas.
So Berchelt roared out of his corner to start the ninth and landed a barrage of punches, eventually flooring Roman with a combination.
The 32-year-old Roman continued but Berchelt wasn't letting up, forcing Schorle to step in and stop the onslaught late in the round.
