The first significant match ups of the year will take place this weekend to be telecast on HBO’s acclaimed series “Boxing After Dark” from the “Mecca of Boxing” in New York City, Madison Square Garden. And what match ups they are.In the main event of the evening in the third defense of his WBO featherweight title, a distinction snatched from the grasp of Juan Manuel Lopez in definitive fashion nearly two years ago, Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico’s Orlando “Siri” Salido (39-11-2, 27 KO’s) will square off with undefeated up-and-coming Miguel Angel “Mikey” Garcia (30-0, 26 KO’s) of Oxnard, California.
In essence, Salido will be putting the young gun to the biggest test of his career after Garcia in his last several bouts has stepped up the competition, adding names to his resume such as Bernabe Concepcion, Mauricio Pastrana, and Jonathan Barros.
But when it comes down to it, nothing can prepare you to fight Orlando Salido except fighing Orlando Salido. With that said, Garcia will have to adjust in the ring, perhaps mainly fending off the relentless champion who’s skill level and experience, along with a thirst to remain champion, in my opinion may be too much for Garcia at this juncture.
A professional since turning 15, seventeen year ring veteran “Siri” Salido doesn’t look to have lost too much at the ripe age of 32. Fighting out of a crouch that Archie Moore would have been proud of, this rugged and determined warrior has gone up against some of the best and will no doubt give Garcia as much as he can handle and more.
“We are well prepared physically and mentally to win this fight. We know we’re going against a young, strong, and undefeated fighter, but we have experience and confidence in our favor. We will push “Mikey” and bring the world championship to Mexico,” said Salido. “We have Garcia well studied, we know his strengths and weaknesses, and we will win round by round. We have the preparation and strategy to provide a great fight and we will win.”
In contrast the challenging “Mikey” Garcia would have this to say about his soon to be adversary. “He’s always had trouble with people boxing him. He’s not the fastest guy in there,” but “he’s dangerous and he’s game all twelve rounds. He has trouble with speed, with counter punching, with boxing, and I think that’s my advantage. I think if I can control the fight at my distance and my pace he’ll have a hard time.”
Out-boxing and out-quicking Salido is as good an approach as there is for Garcia and quite possibly his only chance at pulling off what should rightly be considered an upset. And with many under the impression that the Oxnard fighter has the goods to register the knockout, on this I differ quite markedly knowing that the Ciudad Obregon native possesses a chin of iron despite the fact he’s been on the canvass before.
All told, “Siri” Salido by way of being methodical and pacing himself as is customary simply leaves wiggle room for a superbly conditioned Garcia to edge him out on the scorecards. However, what Garcia will come to find out once the action gets underway is that the Mexican champion fighting out of that bob and weave crouch will not be as readily available to be hit as the challenger suspects.
In addition, the ever pressing calculated style of Salido, to include an aggressive body attack, will start to take its toll, opening up other avenues in the process so that I don’t see the title changing hands at least this time around. Salido by late stoppage or decision.
Golovkin-Rosado
In comparison to the main event, you have as epic a match up if not more so in the co-feature when streaking Philly fighter Gabriel “King” Rosado (21-5, 13 KO’s) squares off with unbeaten WBA/IBO middleweight champion Gennady “Triple G” Golovkin (24-0, 21 KO’s) of Karaganda, Kazakhstan, a heavy handed fighter who in the eyes of many is destined to become a major star in the sport.
Not only is Golovkin perhaps to in time achieve that super stardom, but in conjunction he’s also looking to bring excitement back to the sport in a big way. I want to “show a very entertaining style of fighting,” said Gennady, “something what my fans will like, something that’s missing since Mike Tyson is no longer fighting. Fans look for somebody who will knock out people in the early rounds.”
With that said, and despite all the hoopla surrounding Golovkin, Rosado is not only un-phased, but he’s supremely confident coming in, having in reality fought the better competition within the professional ranks. That confidence also manifests itself by way of the challenger forgoing a proposed 158 pound catchweight, instead opting to fight as a full fledged middleweight after campaigning in his last several bouts as a junior middle.
In reality the move from 154 to 160 pounds shouldn’t factor in at all save for the pundits and outside observers who’ll take issue with it, professing that Golovkin has yet to be tested and may not be here as a result of the surrounding circumstances. Otherwise “Triple G” simply believes that he’s facing as tough and legitimate an opponent as there is. “It’s a great fight, great fight for us both. Difficult because he’s bigger, stronger, but I’m looking for tough, good fights” stated Gennady.”
Photo: Damien Acevedo
While Rosado is quite respectful of the champion and his past accomplishments, he has it in his mind that he’s destined for great things starting with a major victory Saturday night. “This is something that I always dreamed about,” Rosado said. “It’s always played in my head, the big stage, HBO, the title, being the underdog. Exactly the situation that I’m in.”
Gabriel would continue. “I could have waited for K9 [IBF 154 pound champion Cornelius Bundrage], but I purposely took this fight. If I fought K9 and beat him, I’m supposed to beat him. But if I beat “Triple G” I become a star, I get the big fights. That’s why I took this fight.”
In observing the challenger and what he brings to the table, I have to say that not only do I like “King” Rosado’s” style, but that’s the way I teach it, although he’s lacking in a certain area of which I’ll touch upon shortly.
With excellent upper body movement the Puerto Rican fighter tends to make opponents miss while creating the openings of which he’s quite adept at taking advantage of. This renders it all the more important that Golovkin go to the body early and often to offset such movement, as well as thwart Rosado’s offensive output.
But with more pop on his punches than Golovkin’s past few adversaries, what I’m curious to know is how “Triple G” will react to Gabriel’s power, of which the challenger is counting on to pull him through. An intriguing fight to be sure in that both contestants are not only prone to fighting in the pocket, but prefer to be in the thick of things so that it looks like a collision course is set in what will likely turn out to be a fan friendly fisticuff’s .
Overall however, and aside from how Gennady will react to his opponents punching power, what looks to be even more decisive in determining the outcome is how Rosado responds to Golovkin’s heavy hands. For Gabriel in my estimation possesses not the boxing skills he professes to have, so that if he can’t take what’s coming his way, then he’ll at some point be reduced to a heavy bag.
I mean when Sugar Ray Leonard nailed Thomas Hearns on occasion to have the “Hitman” reeling in one or another of their two confrontations, the versatile Hearns was not only able to box his way out of trouble, but he would assume command for the most part. To date, “King” Rosado has not demonstrated the dimension of a stick and move boxer so that he must avoid trouble to begin with, an unlikely circumstance considering he’s already signed on the dotted line.
Non other than a difficult proposition all the way around for the challenger given that Golovkin can not only bang inside with devastating results, but as the far more experienced fighter the Kazakh seems more well rounded in that he can do things from a distance as well as work going in different directions.
In what will look to be a competitive scrap for as long as it lasts, I see Gennady breaking down a doggedly determined Rosado who confident coming in will not be so confident upon receiving so many shots to both body and head.
In summation, those naysayer’s who are of the opinion that Golovkin is other than on the cusp of becoming one of boxing’s pound-for-pound best will by fight’s end have perhaps changed their outlook. Golovkin by mid to late round stoppage only because Rosado is so tough and will hang in for a time.
