By Elisinio Castillo
Diego Chaves, the former World Boxing Association (WBA) interim welterweight champion, returned to the ring in a fury and blasted out Venezuelan Jean Carlos Prada in two rounds at Hurlingham, Buenos Aires in Argentina.
Also on the card, undefeated prospect Fabian Maidana, who is the younger brother of former world champion Marcos 'El Chino' Maidana, also picked up a knockout victory to raise his undefeated record to thirteen victories and ten by knockout.
Chaves, fighting at the junior middleweight limit of 154-pounds, quickly went to work with hard punches coming down on Jean Carlos Prada (32-4-1, 22 KOs), who is best known for his losses to Jack Culcay and Carlos Abregue. He picked up a six round decision win in April against Alexander Salcedo.
Chaves (26-2-1, 22 KOs) has been very inactive over the last few years, but he is now picking up the pace. Much of the inactivity was due in part to a promotional dispute with Osvaldo Rivero.
He had a twelve round split draw against Timothy Bradley in December 2014, and then a world title fight was scheduled against then IBF champion Kell Brook, who withdrew with injury. Chaves did not return again until July 2016, when he stopped Jorge Maidana. He then came back in November and blew away Luis Zarate in one round.
Maidana put away Venezuelan Pedro Verdú (19-16-3, 4 KOs) in four rounds.
The win for Chaves helped him avenge a controversial loss to Prada in the amateurs.
"I have been angry with Prada for years. I've been calling for him for years, because we fought twice in amateurs and both times he robbed me," Chaves said.
"La Joya" refers to the fact that in November 2006 they faced each other in the semifinals of the Odesur Games, and the result was a 11-11 draw, although the Argentinean ended up moving forward to the final by the difference of punches thrown (55-46).
In the rematch, held in May 2007 in Venezuela, in the Battle of Carabobo tournament, Prada defeated Chaves 3-2.
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