THE fight certainly lived up to its billing, and more. While the first encounter merited 2011 ?Upset of the Year? honors, the rematch might be a runaway candidate for 2012?s ?Fight of the year.?
In the end, the durable Orlando Salido outworked and outlasted the fiery Juan Manuel Lopez, and the former proved that his mastery over the Puerto Rican warrior is no fluke.
THE FIGHT. After the quintessential feeling out first round, Salido started to push the pace and bullied Lopez in the second and third rounds. Things heated up in Round 4, but Lopez scored with more effective blows.
In the 5th round, with about 20 seconds to go, Salido caught Lopez with a big left hook along the ropes followed by a right cross that staggered Lopez.
But as the Mexican warrior tried to go for the kill, he got clipped with a glancing right hook and his momentum carried him downward, meriting a knockdown for Lopez. Salido got up at the count of 8 and was more surprised than hurt.
The ninth round is a certified round-for-the year shoo-in. If ever there was a round that saved boxing, this was it as both men traded blows from pillar to post, donny-brooking toe to toe in an unbelievably frenetic pace.
Lopez scored well with hooks and straights, while Salido landed his fair share of uppercuts and body-shots. The referee had a mad time trying to separate the two pit-bulls eager for blood.
LOSING STEAM. The way I see it, the battle was won at that pivotal ninth round as it took out a lot from both fighters. With a round like that, whoever had more left in the tank for the next one would win the fight.
And once again, Lopez lost steam while it was Salido who came out fresher as the bell rang to summon the 10th.
The fight?s denouement came with less than 20 seconds gone as Salido caught the tired Lopez with a right cross followed by a left hook and an uppercut that sent the Puerto Rican warrior crashing to the canvas.
He got up at the count of five wobbly and stumbling around, causing the referee to call a halt.
Orlando Salido?s mastery over Juan Manuel Lopez has been irrevocably confirmed.
NUMBERS. Final punch stats showed Salido landing 40 % of his power shots to Lopez?s 29% while in terms of total punches, Salido landed 235 of 637 to Lopez 138 of 559.
Chalk up another victory for a Mexican fighter over a Puerto Rican. This rivalry is quite rich in history and intense, dating back to Julio Chavez-Edwin Rosario, to Oscar dela Hoya-Felix Trinidad up to the recent Antonio Margarito-Miguel Cotto series. But when it comes to high-profile fights, the Mexicans have the edge.
The fly in the ointment was the scoring (again!?) as two out of three judges inexplicably had the local favorite ahead while the third judge scored it a draw.
PROGNOSIS. Lopez is in a tough spot. Had he won the rematch, all would have been forgiven and the loss to Salido branded as an aberration.
But the reality is that he has stamina woes and a leaky defense. The apoplexy is that he possesses world class speed, skills and power. After all, you don?t knock out Daniel Ponce de Leon, Rafael Marquez and Steve Luevano if you were just an ordinary fighter.
Was it a styles-make-fights thing? Only time will tell. After all, Lopez (31-2, 28 KOs) is only 28 years of age, and has a lot of time to go back to that clich?d drawing board.
Salido on the other hand can go for a rematch with one-time conqueror Yuriorkis Gamboa or get a high-profile fight with Nonito Donaire in the near future, if the latter moves up in weight.
But I think Salido, as good as he was against Lopez-would have a hard time against both those fighters who are quite adept at maintaining distance to land combos and staying out of punching range.
LAST ROUNDS. Are on my Yakal buddies Bugs Mowery, Edge Genosa, Joy Denoga and Maricor Cervera who are celebrating their birthdays this month. Cheers!
