Salido - Lopez II - Classic Epic Battle

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Before starting with the blog post, I first would like to thank all the people who support this blog. It continues to inspire people as it reaches the 7000 mark despite not having been posting in awhile. Thank you very much.

I would like to talk about the recent match-up on the second fight between Orlando "Siri" Salido against Juan Manuel "Juanma" Lopez. If anyone have watched this match up, you will know why its very much worthy of a review, and if you're one of the people who haven't watched it yet, you'll be awfully sorry you haven't. This fight, is a fight that is created from the fabric of boxing greatness. It has achieved a status for being another classic match-up that is worth the replay for ages to come. We all know that the first fight was kind-of an upset, as Salido delivers Juanma his first loss on a TKO on the eighth round.

The first fight in my opinion, is a good match-up, but never have we expected a better match-up to come in their second fight. I have never felt and watch a boxing match like this in a long time. You could go down to the likes of, Hagler-Hearns, Corrales-Castillo, Gatti-Ward, and a lot of the other fights that were hotly contested which have become iconic match-ups in the world of boxing. Round nine of their recent fight was one of the greatest rounds I have ever seen in my lifetime. Maybe not the greatest, but it's in my top ten. I mean, when have you last seen two fighter's coming at it, nonstop action, and still making it a close round?

I have had my fair share of seeing great fights. My love for boxing allowed me to watch those great fights.. those great fights that despite its age, it still burns every spectator's impression and leaves a mark despite the era's, despite the black and white films, despite the difference of old-school boxing to modern. It's the heart and determination, that brings everyone out of their seats. You can knock a guy down and make a person wobbly to make everyone stand up from their seats, but a really epic battle is a nonstop, see-saw fight that you really don't care who is dominating in every exchanges.

People stand up for these match-ups, because its almost as if these fighters are already fighting in a different realm. It's not about the money, fame, or status. It's about being locked into that moment. Moments that create one of the fondest memories that people, not just boxing fans, relate to in the sport of boxing. In the upcoming retirement of boxing's pound for pound king, Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao, we feel clear and reassured that the sport of boxing will carry on. I talked about it in my previous posts, that the great featherweight era is reincarnating, and we've seen that time and time again in Salido, Lopez, Gamboa, and etc.

The Featherweight division, is a division to watch out for. With the Orlando Salido - Juan Manuel Lopez II completed, I have rested my case. The fight is short of awesome in one word. It is a classic stylistic match-up between a boxer against a slugger. Both fighter's are known punchers, with Lopez having the advantage in speed and technique, and Salido being the more old-school fighter, brawling his way inside and capitalizing with hard shots as Lopez backs to the ropes. We've seen this match-ups before and it really depends on how you utilize your skills.

There is no clear advantage between a boxer against a slugger, you just have to play your cards right. Orlando Salido reminded me of a Mike Tyson, only without the peek-a-boo stance. He would duck punches and land hay-makers relentlessly on his opponents. He also had the ability to lounge in his opponents as he opened up with a hard punch. That may pose a flaw to anyone who pays attention, and would effectively counter these types. Lopez, in my opinion, did not play his cards right. I felt, that he did not have proper timing, that he should have sharp-shoot Salido on the outside, and if he did that, it just showed to be ineffective.

Juan Manuel Lopez is in proper form, and that he could have executed his plans, but Salido just was relentless, and to me, I felt that Lopez did not adjust in the type of confrontation that Salido had fought. Still, it was a great match-up, although I also felt, that Salido was winning the fight. You could clearly see how Lopez gets banged around with hard shots, and is staggering around the ring in each rounds too often, that you should almost always give the rounds to Salido. Good scoring on Lopez on the knock down as Salido was coming in.

If only Lopez had done that type of countering, the fight would have changed, in my opinion. Then came the epic ninth round of their second fight. It was an all out slugfest and since their first exchange in that round, everyone was standing on their feet, and I was shouting here at home as I watched it. Pretty awesome stuff that you don't usually see. I'm just impressed with these fighter's; their status is worthy of future legends in the sport. Despite the stoppage in round 10, as Salido knocked out Lopez. There was no loser in this fight. Everyone's a winner, the fighters, the fans, especially the sport of boxing, in general.

I just hope for more of these match-ups to come.


Final Thoughts:

I think Juan Manuel Lopez did a great job in this match, although defeated. I would still like to watch him fight against Yuriorkis Gamboa. If they do make the match and Lopez wins it, I think a third fight against Salido is acceptable. For now, the king of the featherweight division is not clear. At this point, a second fight of Gamboa against Salido is a good option. Lots of people want to see that fight. I'm just waiting for more fighters of the lower weights to reach this weight class, especially the likes of Nonito Donaire. Like I said in my previous posts, the featherweight division is being prepared for another Golden Age.

For years I have been into the sport, it made me think that Boxing as well as any fight sports is 90% waiting and 10% action. You just hope that good fighters keep coming along, especially with what we've seen right here, and if there were a lot of fights that match up with the same intensity as the recent fight. I think that the 90% waiting is bearable. It would only be wishful thinking if we could ever ask for more in life.Yet its a blessing in disguise, that we never ever get bored in watching great fights, because only few of these fights are made that way, and that is why legends are legends, and is treated in such respect, and that is why, for the longest time in history and despite every controversy that surrounds it, boxing is great.

Picture: Orlando "Siri" Salido landing one of his few jabs against Juan Manuel "Juanma" Lopez in their second fight, held in Coliseo Roberto Clemente, San Juan.

Pacquiao-Barrera first; a reminisce on the path of a Champion

I just finished the examinations in school. Feeling tired and stressed, I immediately decided to go home as I usually do, hoping to do another set of work outs to punctuate the day. As I stepped into the entrance door mat of my home, the next thing I know, I'm already inside, feeling the familiarity that I've missed when in school, I immediately turned on the laptop and the television at the same time. In an attempt to unwind and put myself at ease, I decided to reward myself with boxing matches on the DVD player. Doing this blog, as I watch Pacquiao-Barrera 1st. It almost looked like "deja vu", as I have already seen this fight several times. It may be a classic, but the excitement and drama never fails to interest me, and the feeling never seems to get old. Watching the young Pacquiao, full of determination, power, stamina, and skills. As I watched the fight, it immediately went into my mind, on how hard, an up and coming fighter would be against a renowned champion. Barrera, at the time, was part of the top five pound for pounder in boxing. Thinking Pacquiao, who was less recognized at that time, winning the match is very unlikely beforehand. It just amazes me, that Pacquiao was able to defeat Barrera, in a fashion that most people would never dare to think of. It is in this fight, that I began to put some thought in boxing for the first time. Although, I've heard of his name even before this fight, I wasn't as tentative, as I knew, he was just some local fighter. His achievement in the international setting, definitely shook the world, and it has definitely shook my mind as well. His intensity is admirable, and his style is clearly a crowd pleaser. I started loving boxing for the very first time. As the hype of Pacquiao-Barrera immediately sets forth to the first ring of the bell, round one is a drama that seems to have been going since the olden days. As Pacquiao's slip turned into a knockdown, it somehow crossed my mind, that it always has been like that. An up and coming fighter, will always have experienced an unfair shake, against a well-known champion. The same way, Muhammad Ali had been treated against Sonny Liston, as a liquid substance coming from Liston's glove bothered Ali for a few rounds. Despite the adversities that they have been confronted with, they still decide to fight back with all their heart, and that, to me, is definitely a mark of a true Champion. As I continue to watch the fight, Barrera bled from an accidental head-butt, and from his frustration, lands an intentional headbutt on Pacquiao's chest, and was warned by the referee. Pacquiao may have conceded with the dirty tactics of Barrera, but he never gave in. As the next round approaches, after a series of combination by Pacquiao, he then lands his own headbutt, hitting so flush on the face, as he hammers Barrera into the corner, and the referee wasn't able to see it. In my mind, It's as if Pacquiao is showing Barrera on the proper execution on how it's supposed to be done compared to Barrera's last attempt. It somehow made Barrera looked like an amateur against Pacquiao, which is logically contrary. As the fight progresses, I begin to see Barrera hitting Pacquiao with a cheap shot, after the referee was separating both fighters. Barrera was called to that, and was deducted a point. It looked like as if Pacquiao was alright with it, but by the next round, he decided to repay Barrera by ending the fight, after a flurry of combinations, he finally finished Barrera by TKO. These moments to me, is another definition of how a Champion should act when given the opportunity. It is the mindset of not giving in against adversities, and immediately trying to fight back, against all odds. It has been the template, of what a Champion is, to me, until this very moment. It is like a man battling cancer, and despite the relatively low chance of survival, he continues to live his life, longer than expected. It is like walking through a dilapidated wooden bridge, and making it through. It is like going into a losing war, and somehow survived it. It is defying the odds, facing adversities, and more importantly keeping the faith alive. Being a champion is a long road, full of trials that we need to overcome, by not shying away, but continuously facing it. In the end of that long road, we will see the light, and we will see the greatness, not only of ourselves, but more importantly, the greatness of God.

Picture: Manny Pacquiao knocking down the great Marco Antonio Barrera, on the third round of their first fight. Including the referee Lawrence Cole on the far left.