By Jeff Aranow: Earlier this week, Orlando Salido (43-13-4, 30 KOs) reportedly turned down a rematch against WBO super featherweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko. Salido, 36, instead wants a rematch against WBC super featherweight champion Francisco Vargas (23-0-2, 17 KOs) this year. Vargas has a title defense scheduled for January 28 against #7 WBC Miguel Berchelt (30-1, 27 KOs) at the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California.
Salido and the 32-year-old Vargas fought to a controversial 12 ound draw last June at the StubHub Center in Carson, California. Salido won the fight in the eyes of many boxing fans, but the judges scored it 115-113 for Vargas, and 114-114, 114-114 even.
This was Salido’s second straight controversial draw. Salido fought Roman Martinez to a 12 round draw in September 2015, and he appeared to win that fight as well. Some fans think that Salido not being the A-side in his last two fights has kept him from getting wins. It’s difficult to know what the true reason is that Salido isn’t being given victories in fights that appears to win, but he might need to make sure that his rematch with Vargas doesn’t go to the scorecards if he wants to make sure he can get the win.
“When you’re in the ring you can say it’s a great fight and that night I knew we were having a special fight like the one we promised to deliver,” said Salido to wbcboxing.com. “It was an honor to be part of a great fight and give that gift to the fans. I think it makes sense to fight again and determine who the best is. Obviously I felt that I won the fight. I think a second one will be similar, but, I hope we have a winner next time.”
Salido may need to wait until the summer for the rematch with Vargas to take place depending on how much punishment he takes in his fight against Berchelt. Vargas tends to get hit a lot in his fights, and if he gets beaten up a little in his next fight, then he’ll need time to heal up and recover before facing Salido a second time.
If Salido can’t get the rematch with Vargas, then he’ll need to go in another direction. He can’t just sit around and wait for a fight to fall into his lap. Salido could have gotten a rematch against Lomachenko, but it’s unclear what his management at Top Rank was offering to him. It has to be worthwhile for Salido to fight a popular guy like Lomachenko. If the money wasn’t right, then it’s understandable why he wouldn’t take the fight.
Deontay Wilder: I can’t wait to get in there and try my right hand
WBC heavyweight champion Deontay “Bronze Bomber” Wilder (37-0, 36 KOs) will be fighting for the first time on February 25 since injuring his right hand and biceps in his last fight against Chris Arreola last July. Wilder will be defending his World Boxing Council title against Andrzej Wawrzyk (33-1, 19 KOs) at the Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama. Wilder needed surgery on both injuries to heal the problems, and now he’s finally ready to start fighting again
“It’s always special to fight in Alabama,” Wilder said via wbcboxing.com. “I can’t wait to get in and try out my right hand. I know that Andrzej Wawrzyk comes to fight with all his heart. He comes to prove something, but I’m sure I’ll come out with my hand raised,” said Deontay.
Wilder has had problems with his right hand since he turned pro in 2008 after winning a bronze medal in the heavyweight division in the Olympics in that year. Wilder, 31, has suffered broken right hands on three occasions during his pro career. With the alarming rate of injuries to Wilder’s hand, it’s questionable how much longer he’s going to be able to continue fighting at a high level.
If Wilder suffers another hand injury fighting the wrong person like Anthony Joshua, he’s not going to last long against him, because he’s too good of a fighter for Wilder to be fighting with just one hand. In his win over Arreola, Wilder was able to beat him with just his left hand due to his opponent being a limited guy. Wilder needs to try either throw with less power or use better form when throwing his shots. He throws a lot of clubbing shots with bad form.
“He not only comes to prove something, but to make history and avenge the defeat of his friend and compatriot Artur Szpilka. Wawrzyk, he was present at the ringside of the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, looking on, as I knocked out Szpilka, who turned out to be a competitive rival.”
This will be Wilder’s fifth defense of his WBC title that he won a couple of years ago. Wilder needs to hold onto his WBC title long enough for him to face IBF champion Anthony Joshua later this year, because the money for tht unification fight is too good for him not to get that fight.
The 29-year-old Wawrzyk is not viewed as a real threat to Wilder in the eyes of most boxing writers, but you never know. Eric Molina wasn’t supposed to be a threat for Wilder, and yet he still staggered him. Wilder is one of those fighters that bring a sense of drama with him to his fights, because you never know if he’s going to win in a dominant fashion or struggle almost get knocked out. Wawrzyk has got the punching power to beat Wilder if he can get to his chin before he gets his offense in gear.
Wilder gets sloppy when he gets hit with anything. He tends to react by throwing wind-milling shots in a wild manner, which leaves him vulnerable to getting hit by big shots and suffering hand injures. It’s important that Wilder doesn’t lose control like he normally does, because Wawrzyk could take advantage of his break down in composure.
It would be a tragedy for Wilder and his boxing fans if he were to lose to Wawrzyk before he gets a big payday fight against Joshua. The pressure is on Wilder in this fight. Wawrzyk has no weight on his shoulders because no one is expecting anything from him. It’s the best possible situation for the Polish fighter to be in.