Machado dominates Mensah to retain WBA title
Alberto Machado easily retained his WBA “world” super featherweight title in Las Vegas, shutting out challenger Rafael Mensah over 12 rounds.
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Machado (20-0, 16 KO) was making the first defence of the title he won last October from Jezreel Corrales. He dropped Mensah (31-1, 23 KO) late in the first round on a vicious right hook, and pretty much dominated the fight from then on, with Mensah’s right cheek swelling noticeably from the damage inflicted.
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Mensah, who was game but overmatched here, was rocked badly at the end of the fourth round, leading to a really dominant fifth round for Machado.
But the Puerto Rican titleholder did let off the gas a bit for a few rounds, which he still won, anyway, and never really got close to a proper stoppage, though there was an argument to be made that referee Tony Weeks or Mensah’s corner should have stepped in at some point.
Machado landed 234 of 780 (30%) total punches, and 170 of 392 (43%) of his power shots, compared to just 90 of 441 (20%) total punches from Mensah, and 59 of 277 (21%) power shots from the Ghanaian.
