The 31-year-old Orlando Salido stopped Juan Manuel Lopez in the 10th round Saturday night to retain the WBO featherweight title and beat the Puerto Rican for the second time in a year. Salido was putting the pressure in the early rounds. In the fifth round Salido had Lopez hurt but as Salido rush for the kill, he walked into a Juanma right hook that sent “Siri” to the canvas.
The 9th round was action packed with non stop fireworks. Salido (38-11-2, 26 KO’s) knew in taking this rematch he had to win by a knockout as he was in Juanma’s backyard of Puerto Rico. As predicted, two of three judges had Lopez ahead on points regardless of the fact that Salido had connected 235 total punches to Lopez’s 138 before the tenth round when Salido finally got to Juanma flooring Lopez with a four punch combination. Juanma beat the count but couldn’t stay on his feet and wobbled like a drunk as referee Robert Ramirez waived it off.
After the fight Juanma was being a sore loser and said he felt he was dominating the bout and alleged that the referee stopped the fight early due to a gambling problem.
As Showtime’s Jim Gray shows Lopez the replay of the stoppage during the post fight interview, Juanma said he could have continued to fight. Personally I think it was a great stoppage.
“In the first fight, his son (Roberto Ramirez Jr.) stopped it,” Lopez tells Jim. “Now the father stopped it. The referee stopped the fight because he has a gambling problem. I told the (Puerto Rican Boxing) Commission the referee was a gambler.
“And they did wrong for putting him as the referee. It was very irresponsible for putting him as the referee knowing he has a gambling problem.”
While both fighters said they would be willing to meet a third time, a rematch is unlikely in the near future. Salido could meet the winner of the co-main event, undefeated Mikey Garcia, 24, who stopped Bernabe Concepcion in the seventh round.
Looking at the replay below, do you think it was a great stoppage?
I’ve already commented on the outcome of this fight, but I feel the need to add something else concerning the aftermath of the statements made by Lopez concerning his loss. Instead of showing his opponent, Lopez, the honor and respect he deserved for his victory, Lopez excuse was basically stating that the only way that he could possibly lose to Lopez was if cheating was involved. Lopez needs to publicly apologize to the referee, the fans, and most of all to Lopez. Lopez fought a gallant fight and should hold his head up proudly for his brave effort. What truly defines an athlete, great or not, is their dignity, honor , and respect, in both winning and losing. Great fighters can sometimes lose as well as win. With the attitude that Lopez displayed after his loss he may yet still be a winning fighter, but he’ll never be a great one.
This was a great fight, both guys put it all out there. What Lopez was saying about the ref was uncalled for. I think the ref did a good job and was right in stopping the fight when he did, the judging on the otherhand wasn’t right. Those scorecards should have been reversed to have salido up by two points not Lopez. I thought Lopez would’ve and should’ve won this fight but he simply didn’t throw enough punches, and at the same time took too much punishment. Obviously you can’t expect to win a fight like that, but then to bad mouth the ref and accuse him of be crooked and betting was really distasteful.
We all knew the score cards were gonna be BS before this fight started.
More importantly than all of us is that Salido knew too and was throwing bombs all fight!
I watched an easy fight to score, and after the 9th round it didn’t look like Lopez could take much more of what could have turned-out to be a dangerous beating. Then, after the KO we were informed of the official score card totals. It’s becoming a total joke to even have judges at ringside at important matches, a better process needs to be advanced for scoring fights, just how that can be done I have no idea, there is too much money involved in the outcome, it’s as bad as our politics. I suppose the only thing a boxer can do is to train to score a KO, period ! It’s becoming the only way a fighter can be assured of victory. And then cry-baby Lopez blaming the referee for having a gambling problem for stopping a fight where he could have been seriously injured ! I personally hope Salido doesn’t grant a rematch, Lopez doesn’t deserve it. Salido is a terrific veteran champion and I can’t wait to see him again in action.
Salido boxed like a true champion.
@ Jesus, Boxing’s judging system is just out of hand, if your not a well known fighter or fighting in another’s backyard you have to stop them, because these clowns they call judges will screw you out of all your hard work. Something must be done but sadly these sad displays will continue and will get worse before any of it gets better.
that was a fight suprised lopez willing to exchange like that salido got the best of it a bought the championship back to mexico this one goes up with salvador sanchez- julio cesar chavez- antonio margarito going into enemy territory and coming out with a tremendos knock
Round 9 was a classic. It’s sad to see that Salido was not ahead and any of the judge’s scorecards at the time of the stoppage. He was on his way to getting robbed. I’m glad he didn’t leave it up to them.
Salido teached that loser. And garcia looked like a beast!
This fight was something special, the only bad part were Lopez’s post fight comments on the ref. I think he did a great job not only with the stoppage but only getting involved when he had to. Salido is a bad ass who I always enjoy watching and Lopez laid it on the line and he shouldn’t be at all ashamed nor should he had made excuses for losing a hell of a fight.
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