After a second weigh-in later, Walters could only manage 127lbs and was subsequently stripped of his ‘super’ belt by the WBA.
The 29 year-old was all set to defend his ‘super’ version of the World Boxing Association belt, although a move up to super featherweight is now on the cards. Rumours had been swirling all week that Walters was tight at the weight and the Jamaican seems to now have outgrown the featherweight division.
Challenger Miguel Marriaga comfortably weighed 125.2 and can now relax and rehydrate ahead of his first world title challenge.
Undefeated Marriaga is, like Walters, undefeated since turning pro having beaten all 20 of his foes with 18 coming by way of knockout. The Colombian also holds a victory over Walters in the amateurs which the champion is keen to avenge when the pair clash at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.
In the chief support bout, standout lightweight contender Felix Verdejo hit the scales at 133lbs for his battle with Iván Najera who recorded 131.4.
Verdejo is widely seen as the future of the Top Rank corporation and holds 17-0 C.V with 13 early finishes at the age of just 22. Najera holds a similar record at 16-0 and is the same age as his Puerto Rican opponent.
