Orlando Salido Jumps on Upset Train, Derails Juan Manuel Lopez in Puerto Rico
by Scott Christ on Apr 17, 2011 12:38 AM EDT
in Boxing Results and Post-Fight Analysis
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How great is boxing this month? Seriously. Three weekends in a row we've seen Fight of the Year candidates, we've been treated to big upsets and stirring performances all month, and there's still a great card coming next weekend with the Showtime bantamweights. But let's get into why we're saying that now.
Tonight in Puerto Rico, Juan Manuel Lopez's luck ran out at the furious hands of Mexican rival Orlando Salido. Salido (35-11-2, 23 KO) stopped Lopez (30-1, 27 KO) in the eighth round of a terrific battle, finally becoming the fighter to not just hurt and knock down and rattle Lopez around the ring, but to force a referee's hand and earn a stoppage win. We've seen Lopez in trouble against Rogers Mtagwa and Bernabe Concepcion, hurt against Rafael Marquez, and now he just couldn't survive another determined fighter.
It's by far the biggest win in the career of the 30-year-old Salido, who outlanded, outworked, and just bombed out the Puerto Rican slugger tonight. Salido's right hand was deadly from all angles, as Lopez just could not stop it from landing. Whether it was a chopping right, a long overhand right, sweeping from the side, or straight down the pipe, Salido was landing it. He also made his left hook a weapon as the fight went along.
What also made a difference tonight was that Lopez just couldn't use his own power. His recuperative powers were there. He hung in hurt for a good while. But he couldn't get Salido to back off, couldn't really turn the tide on him. That made all the difference. Salido was not going to be denied.
As for the stoppage, it's going to be talked about. I thought the referee picked an odd moment to step in. A left hook from Salido had just landed, but Lopez was throwing back, and that's going to bother a lot of people. But at the same time, Lopez was staggering around the ring for that entire round. I think if anything letting him continue delayed the inevitable, but of course you never know. But me, I just don't see JuanMa getting out of that round tonight. He was taking too many big shots. At some point, the referee would have had to intervene, and it wasn't far off the way Salido was walking through him and battering him.
Hats off to Orlando Salido for this huge upset win tonight, continuing a killer month for the sweet science.
In the co-feature, Puerto Rican Luis Cruz stayed undefeated with an unanimous decision win over Martin Honorio on scores of 100-90, 98-92 and 96-94. The first two scores are said to have been very wide, and most early reports I've seen indicate that Honorio had at least an argument for winning the fight. Honorio falls to 29-6-1 (15 KO), while Cruz improves to 18-0 (14 KO).
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Frankly this probably increased the odds of it happening this year. Not much more to protect for JuanMa.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Apr 17, 2011 12:49 AM EDT up reply actions
Exactly what I was thinking.
Bob Arum would promote Lucifer himself if he could put asses in the seats.
A lot of people felt really unsatisfied by the ending of that fight.
Boxing writer: "Iran, what are you going to do when you retire?"
Iran Barkley: "Rob your house"
Cotto is now Puerto Rico’s last stand in the Mexican Wars.
With Calderon gone and Juanma beaten, nothing short of a victory by Cotto over Margarito can save PR from being swept this season.
"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali
I think it definitely went back up a level tonight. Crowd was awesome, fight was terrific. I still like Lopez, but it’s becoming far more that I’m a fan of Lopez than I think he’s a great fighter. I hate to say this because I love watching him fight, but my God someone has got to teach him how to clinch. The man is fearless and it’s going to shorten his career by a lot.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Apr 17, 2011 2:05 AM EDT up reply actions
I care for Juanma.
That’s not something I often feel or say.
He is a likable kid; cocky, but not in the wrong way.
I don’t think he can have a long career getting hit this way.
It happens way too often and he gets hurt.
His beard is not granite.
But his heart is huge.
"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali
You’re not wrong, Pakin. JuanMa has a monster heart, but that chin and that defense is just not good enough at the top level. I really hope he comes again, because he’s so exciting to watch, but he might need to make some Ponce-esque style changes and develop a more measured approach.
"Occasionally, there is a boxing match that, in its demonstration of skill, courage, intelligence, hope, seems to redeem the sport - almost. Perhaps boxing has always been a sport in crisis, a sport of crisis."
by Oli Goldstein on Apr 17, 2011 7:52 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Indeed Oli
From your lips to God’s ears.
He must make adjustments. He gets hit so solid by …at this point….virtually everybody. When it happened with Mtagwe, we were willing to consider the wild awkward overhand rights as anomalies. We were wrong. He is there to be hit by the right hand all day long.
"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali
Gamboa would murder the guy right now.
Losing to Salido might have been the best thing for Lopez, however, because he gets the chance to come again after a loss which, though potentially derailing, is not necessarily devastating.
"Occasionally, there is a boxing match that, in its demonstration of skill, courage, intelligence, hope, seems to redeem the sport - almost. Perhaps boxing has always been a sport in crisis, a sport of crisis."
by Oli Goldstein on Apr 17, 2011 1:08 PM EDT up reply actions
I thought Gamboa would beat him before but would pay my nickel in a heartbeat to see them whenever they do fight.
Juanma looked very wary, even ’off’’, last light. He never extended his punches, even in the early rounds. He also looked somewhat puffy in his face. No excuses whatsoever but not his greatest night.
"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali
Vazquez Jr. might have something to say about that as well
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
Stoppage
First, congrats to Salido…it’s great to see a guy who came up the hard way to pull of this type of upset.
I hated the stoppage…..Lopez was fighting back, and we know about his recuperative powers. It was an even fight, with Lopez winning the previous round after being floored in the 6th…..give the champ a chance. I guess the rematch will sort this out.
Clearly, the rematch is in order
"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali
I believe the stoppage was at a good time.
It’s a very fine line, but I’d much rather question the ref’s decision than question the corner, the ref, the ring doctor, and everyone else that gets questioned when a great fighter has his career finished due a late stoppage or no stoppage. Lopez may yet get to learn from his mistakes, learn to circle away from a power hand, neutralize an inside fighter with grappling, etc. Had he taken 4 more rounds of those right hands, we might be wondering if he’d ever be the same fighter again, kinda like we’re wondering about Margarito after his corner let him play the role of a heavy bag for at least 4 completely unnecessary rounds against Pacquiao.
Happy to see Salido get his due as a champion
A true pro.
www.theboxingbulletin.com
Oh, yeah, and as for JuanMa...
He’s got to start moving his head, bending at the waist and at least considering defense every once in awhile or this will happen again. Just too easy a target.
Whoever is responsible for the fight coming together made a mistake. With his current skill level they are going to have to be careful with him again. Either guys with little defense or power… or both.
I thought the stoppage was fine. The timing of it was a bit strange, but Lopez was out of it. Even with a few minutes to recover after the fight his feet were all over the place. The punches he was throwing at that point were weak arm punches on instinct alone. Another clean, hard shot may have been disastrous for him. Props to him for staying upright for as long as he did, and for throwing punches even when he was falling down.
www.theboxingbulletin.com
I hgad no problem with the stoppage
"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali
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