Salido comes off canvas to stop Haya

WBO featherweight world champion Orlando Salido (37-11-2, 25 KOs) survived two knockdowns and a real scare to eventually stop Filipino Weng Haya (14-5, 8 KOs) in the eighth round of a scheduled 10-round non-title bout in Mexico.

For the first 2 3/4 rounds, Haya was completely on his bike, almost flat-out running from the stalking Salido. Then, with seconds left in the third round a perfectly-timed counter left hand dropped Salido hard. The featherweight titlist beat the count, but he was clearly dazed and saved by the bell.

Salido came out for the fourth, still on unsteady legs, and was dropped again, this time by a straight left hand.

The crafty veteran was able to fall back and rely on his deep knowledge of boxing fundamentals to play defense while regaining his composure. By the fifth, Salido had his legs back under him and began to box a more sound, intelligent fight.

The end of the contest came in the eighth, when a shot from Salido sent Haya to the ropes, obviously hurt. Salido rushed his injured opponent and dropped him. Haya would beat the count, but would be ruled unable to continue by the referee.

In the co-feature, former super flyweight world titlist,Cristian Mijares (44-6-2, 20 KOs), making his junior featherweight debut, stopped Alejandro Valdez (25-7-2, 19 KOs) at the 1:24 mark of the third round.

In the third, Mijares landed a combination that sent Valdez hard to the canvas. Somehow, the former world title challenger managed to beat the count and make it to his feet, but only long enough to sustain a few more heavy shots. At the end, it was a foot race between Valdez’s corner and the ref to save a helpless Valdez.

Paul Magno

Source: msn.foxsports.com/boxing/story/Orlando-Salido-comes-off-canvas-to-stop-Weng-Haya-121711

Paez defeats Chavez; Miranda wins

n a highly-entertaining battle of second-generation welterweight prospects, the 24-year-old Jorge Paez Jr. (30-4-1, 18 KOs) scored a majority 10-round decision over 21-year-old Omar Chavez (27-1-1, 20 KOs) in Mexico.

The early rounds were contested up close, forehead touching forehead, both fighters engaged in heated back and forth exchanges. Paez, who had the faster hands and more fluid technique, got the better of the heavier-handed Chavez, who was never hurt, but seemed bothered and legitimately frustrated.

Around the sixth, though, Paez took the fight to the outside and Chavez, who was accompanied to the ring by trainer Freddie Roach, was able to take advantage of his edge in height and reach. Although he managed to even up the contest in the later rounds, Paez was still clearly in control and, having withstood Chavez’s heaviest shots, was fighting with more confidence.

Despite the fact that most saw Paez comfortably ahead, decisions involving the Chavez brothers are never slam-dunk certainties when it comes to fairness. This time, though, everything seemed mostly on the level. Paez took the decision by scores of 99-93 and 99-93, with a bizarre 95-95 thrown in for good measure. The Boxing Tribune scored the fight 97-93 in favor of Paez.

On the undercard, well-traveled Mexican journeyman Cecilio Santos (27-21-4, 17 KOs) was robbed of a major upset against former flyweight world titlist Julio Cesar Miranda (37-6-1, 29 KOs) in a bout where he clearly outworked the former titlist. The judges’ scores were: 95-95, 96-94, and 96-95, giving Miranda the majority decision win. The Boxing Tribune scored the bout 97-93 in favor of Santos.

Paul Magno

Source:  msn.foxsports.com/boxing/story/Jorge-Paez-Jr-defeats-Omar-Chavez-121711