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LOPEZ-SALIDO II: ANOTHER THRILLING PUERTO RICAN-MEXICAN WAR AT 'LA ISLA DEL ENCANTO' By Carlos Costa PhilBoxing.com Sat, 10 Mar 2012  One of the most awaited combats of the year is already knocking our doors. Puerto Rico's boxing star "Juanma" Lopez has weighed-in 125.75 lbs. while his opponent WBO featherweight world champion Orlando "Siri" Salido registered 126 lbs., ahead of their much expected thrilling fight of tomorrow at the famed Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico. So the great boxing tradition of amazing combats between Mexico and Puerto Rico continues. Salvador Sanchez vs Wilfredo Gomez, Julio Cesar Chavez vs Hector Camacho or Tito Trinidad vs Oscar de la Hoya were some of the awesome combats that highlight the superb quality of Mexican and Puertorrican friendly boxing rivalry and tomorrow's Orlando "Siri" Lopez vs Juanma Lopez 2 would aim at being intense great fight like the ones in the books. That's why "La Isla del Encanto" (The Island of Enchantment), as Puerto Rico is known, will dress up in its best colors for what will be another thrilling Mexico vs Puerto Rico world title fight. One thing we can all be sure, it's going to be a great combat. The first one was intense and this time there's a lot at stake, especially for the young and proud boricua Juanma Lopez who will be fighting before his family and fans at Puerto Rico's most historic sports coliseum. In April of last year, Juanma hugely disappointed his people by being savagely rocked, dropped and knocked out by the Mexican Orlando Salido in round eight, all before the eyes of his fans. This time around, there is no way Juanma intends to do that again. JUANMA MUST NEUTRALIZE SALIDOS'S RIGHT HOOK This time Juanma Lopez must be smarter and avoid the same mistakes he did in the fateful first combat. Specifically, Juanma must manage to neutralize Salido's right hook that tormented and punished him throughout the fast-paced first bout. Since Juanma is a southpaw and Salido is orthodox fighter, Juanma should move to the left of Salido. The reasoning is not to allow the Mexican to get an easy steady target on him. Do you remember the way Juanma was knocked down ugly in the fifth round of their April battle which was the beginning of the debacle? At that moment Juanma was not moving away from the power right hand of Salido. In fact, he was not moving at all and did not have his left hand protecting him. It's true that it was a perfect fast shot dished out by Salido. It showed that Salido could throw fast accurate well thought hands. Nevertheless, a good movement could neutralize the hand and the speed. In addition, inching backwards to remove distance for fast hands could do the trick. A huge concentration and reflexes and well as experience are needed to do this successfully, though. This is he same technique brilliantly used by Marquez to neutralize Pacquiao's powerful fast left straight. Marquez moved in the correct direction and exquisitely counterpunched over and over again driving Pacquiao so crazy. It was an awesome night of boxing. I was watching the Pacquiao vs Marquez III from ringside at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. To me, Marquez fought so well, so smart against a very dangerous Manny. Seating besides me was my dear friend, the artist and PhilBoxing creator Dong Secuya who had a worry look on his face as Marquez technique seemed effective. However, that night Manny won. But Marquez's technique is blueprint on how to neutralize a dangerous fast hand. Correct movement and the well thought technique can neutralize any good fighter, even the best. Obviously, Juanma does not have the counterpunching ability of Marquez. But if Juanma Lopez could neutralize Salido's right straight and right hook, which is the mexican's preferred weapons of war, that would be a big plus in his Juanma's strategy against Salido. Juanma must have a well thought game plan based on jab, speed, technique and correct movements. JUANMA, AN OLD KO ARTIST Anyone remembers the old Juanma Lopez who used to surprise opponents with a quick KO? Juanma has scored 28 KO's in his boxing career. How many KO's scored in the first or second round? Fourteen is the correct answer. If Juanma sees an opening, he might try that old success formula again, which could be a dangerous bold move. Actually, Salido has declared that he is expecting a "long war." If so, Juanma might try to surprise him the way Juanma did against fearsome puncher Daniel Ponce de Leon. Juanma knocked out Ponce de Leon in round 1 to take his world title. That's the old bold Juanma that so many people miss. However, if there is no chance for Juanma to score that surprising early KO, then really a long fight tomorrow will be. THIS TIME JUANMA MUST USE HIS JAB EFFECTIVELY, KEEP DISTANCE USE LATERAL MOVEMENT AND ATTACK IN COMBINATION Juanma Lopez will have to use constant quick jabs, they are a weapon of defense as well as offense. Juanma's effective jab would keep the necessary distance to avoid the harmful bombs. So keeping a safe distance is important. Plus, Juanma should make good use of his smart footwork and movement. Never give up on the jab to keep Salido's engaging, aggressive style at bay while scoring round after round. If Juanma do that, he could win by unanimous decision. For that, Juanma needs outstanding conditioning. His fans surely hope so. Most likely Juanma's physical preparation is much better than the one in the first combat. It has been speculated that Juanma's training for his first rumble against Salido might not have been the best of all. The then undefeated world champion had a painful divorce as well as personal problems, which surely might have distracted his focus. This time around, after having tasted the "agony of defeat," Juanma might have become more centered better fighter and reports indicate that Juanma has had an excellent training camp. Tomorrow we'll find out. However, it can not de denied that still young, fast, talented and extremely powerful, Juanma is a force to be reckon at the 9 stone weight class. SALIDO GAVE A BIG KO TO JUAMA ONCE. COULD HE DO IT AGAIN? First and foremost, Salido hasn't looked too impressive recently. His last fight in his own hometown staged one week before Christmas was supposed to be a tune-up fight against an unheralded unknown kid. But things turned out to be a desperate dire experience when Filipino Weng Haya almost forced the world champion to capitulate by KO. Salido was forced to visit the canvas two times during the awful fight. The Mexican went down in the 3rd round. Then again in the 4th stanza. That night things looked bleak for the sonorense. The bell saved him at one point when Salido seemed defenseless against an underdog inexperienced fighter who, luckily for Salido, did not know how to finish the job. That night of Juanma Lopez might have known how to finish the job. Styles make fights and it has been proven that Salido and Lopez can slug it out in a thrilling fashion, but if tomorrow we have the same Salido who fought Weng Haya in December, then Juanma will surely get back his world title. SALIDO'S BEST SHOT Salido's best shot to score another devastating KO over the popular Juanma Lopez is to follow the same pattern that he did before: pressure and more pressure. He must just keep fight close. Yes, close quarters. Don't give Lopez a breather, no breaks, no distance. Pure close toe-to-toe good old combat. Salido did not dished out jabs in the first combat and did not need them that much as most of his punches were power blows. That's Salidos's fighting mode and the path to another victory. The Mexican must keep the war ragging on, just the ragging bull Jake LaMotta used to do when he had to battle a more talented, skillful opponents. Be on the top of Juanma, must be Salidos's job. Same as before. Be all over Juanma and don't allow him use his luxurious speed, combination in bunches and cut his lateral movements. Just go on with the same pattern till the popular Juanma begins taking those damaging right uppercuts and poisonous hooks, and then accelerate the intensity and volume of shots harder and more devastating till Juama's demise. MY OPINION In short, it will be a battle of will and skills as both fighters know each other. Who will prevail? I think Salido will get the nod again and will retain his featherweight world title. The Mexican has got the formula to defeat Juanma Lopez. Salido is now much more confident than the first time he went to Puerto Rico to demolish Juanma by KO. It will not be easy as Juanma is a top class warrior and always a dangerous puncher. But Salido gave a KO to Juanma last April. Ten months later, he could do it again. Two of my best friends have their own opinions: "Mi hermano" and dear friend Dr. Rene Bonsubre, the Filipino Physician who is PhilBoxing's Contributing Editor commented: "I'm rooting for Salido...I see Filipinos fighting him down the road." Meanwhile, across the Pacific, Canadian Ace Freeman, director of FightFan, things the contrary: "I am leaning towards Juanma getting his revenge, but you can never count out that old warrior Salido! I heard Juanma was quite distracted the last time around and was walking around extremely heavy in the months before his first fight. Hopefully Juanma is focused and ready now because there is no denying his talent. I am excited for this one and can't wait for Saturday night!" See video of Juanma Lopez vs Orlando Salido's first fight in this links and get your own conclusions: SALIDO VS JUANMA PART 1/3 www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-w97zDnBDY SALIDO VS JUANMA PART 2/3 www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5HIJlmq9w8 SALIDO VS JUANMA PART 3/3 www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZIJqilGOaI Click here to view a list of other articles written by Carlos Costa.  |
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