It was going to take a special performance for any of the fighters to separate themselves from the rest of the pack on HBO?s live tripleheader.
Mikey Garcia was well on his way to delivering in spades, before a headbutt left him with a broken nose and forced to accept a technical decision win over Orlando Salido. The win earned the unbeaten Californian a featherweight belt Saturday evening at Madison Square Garden?s The Theatre in New York City.
Scores were 79-70 and 79-69 (twice) in the contest, which was stopped just prior to the start of the ninth round.
A notorious slow starter who normally breaks down his opponents as the fight wears on, Garcia deviated from form as he struck early and often. Salido literally didn?t know what hit him, suffering two knockdowns in the opening round. Both knockdowns were produced by Garcia left hooks, though Salido never seemed badly hurt on either occasion.
The early deficit would only get worse for Salido, who fell behind by an insurmountable eight points through four rounds after suffering knockdowns in rounds three and four. A right uppercut produced the third round knockdown, again not very devastating but terribly effective as Garcia never came unnerved.
Salido?s best moments of the fight through four rounds actually came just after the fourth knockdown of the fight. The defending featherweight titlist fought back well enough to arguably bring the round from 10-8 to 10-9, though scorecards figured to not at all play a factor by the end of the fight.
The 32-year old veteran never stopped trying, at times coming forward and attempting to force the action. However, little of it proved effective. Garcia remained in control nearly every step of the way, never falling in love with his power and always placing his punches well enough to inflict sustained damage.
Ever the warrior, Salido refused to roll over and play dead. The proud Mexican came out swinging for the fences in round seven, a rare frame where Garcia opted against taking the lead as he spent most of the round in reverse and in counterpuncher mode.
Garcia regained control in the eighth, but ran into medical concerns when a Salido headbutt ? ruled accidental though replays suggesting the possibility of ill will in place ? landed flush on the challenger?s nose. The issue was addressed in between rounds, when it was discovered that Garcia couldn?t properly breathe.
Time was called to allow for the ringside physician to examine the injury, at which point the fight was stopped and went to the scorecards.
Garcia picks up by far the biggest win of his still young career. The 25-year old improves to 31-0 (26KO) in picking up his first major title.
Salido snaps a five fight win streak as he falls to 39-12-2 (27KO).
