The Boxing Diary

Views and Opinions

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Orlando Salido vs. Mikey Garcia: Fight Prediction and Analysis





Photo is credited to Chris Farina of Top Rank
Mexican featherweight champion Orlando Salido will defend his WBO title against undefeated prospect Miguel Angel Garcia on January 19, 2013 at the historic Madison Square Garden, New York, USA.

As usual let may lay down my prediction/analysis for this fight. I will also gather the predictions of leading boxing sites and writers around the web and I will post it here later on as an update.


Orlando Salido 39-11-2 (KO 27) at 32 years old is a veteran fighter. He started boxing at the age of 16 in 1996; for 17 years he has a total of 53 fights in his resume.

However, the native from Sonora, Mexico was not able to get the recognition that he is having right now until he fought Puerto Rican star Juan Manuel Lopez.

Before that fight happened, he was already pitted with Juan Manuel Marquez and Yuriorkis Gamboa which obviously above his league at least during those fights.  Against these calibers of opponents Salido failed.

Nevertheless, on April 16, 2011 the late bloomer Orlando Salido pull off an upset that recognized him as a force to reckon at featherweight division, knocking out former undefeated star Juan Manuel Lopez. Not only that, Salido spoiled a budding super showdown between Lopez and Gamboa.

In the process, Top Rank didn’t gave up that suppose super-fight giving Juan Manuel Lopez a rematch in his native Puerto Rico hoping Juanma to win. But Salido, who went down once with the crowd obviously against him, denied Juanma once again--knocking Lopez in round 10 in front of his countrymen.

Salido solidify his claim in the division and will defend his title against a younger lion in Mikey Garcia.

Mikey Garcia 30-0-0 (KO 26) at 25 years old, started professional boxing in 2006 is a young prospect. Names in his resume might not be as impressive but this kid moves like a veteran. Salido is no-mediocre fighter.

Garcia is a methodical fighter. He is smart and very patient inside the ring. Garcia understand that Salido will be the toughest test of his career. But he also believed that he has the skills and strength to beat Orlando Salido.

Prediction.

I have Garcia by unanimous decision (UD 12)

Boxing is a sport for the strong, that the weak will not survive. It is for the young--not for the old. I'm not saying, Salido is old nor weak, especially with his performance against Junama--no way he will become old comes January 19.

However, if Garcia will survive the early onslaught of Salido, which I believe--he will, would cruise to victory at the end of the final bell. The only thing he should avoid--never go for a broke.

Salido's advantage here mainly is his vast experience and toughness to apply pressure which is successful against Lopez who wanted toe-to-toe action. But Garcia is more on a counter-puncher who constantly look for opening and not necessarily gamble just to land a shot.

Garcia will patiently wait for opening in the early going. Pick his shots and start working halfway of the fight and win unanimously. Salido is having problem with real counter-puncher--like Marquez. He was picked piece by piece. I feel the same for this fight.

Here are the predictions around the web;

Aaron Lloyd - neutralcorneronline.com Garcia by Decision: 116-112
Brian Mazique - bleacherreport.com Garcia by Unanimous Decision
Rich Thomas - proboxing-fans.com Garcia by Unanimous Decision
Tim Starks - queensberry-rules.com Salido by Decision
Scott Christ - badlefthook.com - Salido by Decision 

No comments:

Post a Comment