From the archive · March 18, 2000
Diego Corrales vs Derrick Gainer
IBF & vacant IBO World Super Featherweight Titles · MGM Grand, Las Vegas, USA
Record 30-0-0 · 130 lb
Record 33-4-0 · 130 lb
The fight
Corrales Demolishes Gainer in Three at MGM Grand Vegas
Diego Corrales (31-0, 0 KOs) ended Derrick Gainer's (33-5, 0 KOs) challenge for the IBF junior lightweight title with explosive efficiency at the MGM Grand on March 18, 2000. The victory earned Corrales both his second successful IBF defense and the vacant IBA super featherweight belt.
Gainer, who entered with momentum from notable victories over Kevin Kelley at Madison Square Garden Theater and Harold Warren in Pensacola, matched Corrales through two rounds. All three judges - Jerry Roth, Mike Glienna, and Bill Graham - scored the opening frames even at 19-19.
The third round marked a dramatic shift as Corrales dropped Gainer twice, prompting referee Jay Nady's intervention. The defeat halted Gainer's upward trajectory, though he would later challenge Juan Manuel Marquez for the IBF featherweight title, losing via technical decision due to a cut from an accidental headbutt.
The HBO-televised co-promotion between Top Rank, M&M Sports, and America Presents Inc. showcased both fighters at the 130-pound limit, with Corrales demonstrating his growing dominance in the super featherweight division.