By Dan Ambrose: Former two division world champion Orlando Salido (43-13-4, 30 KOs) will be fighting in two months from now on April 29 against an opponent still to be determined. Salido, 36, is interested in facing former WBC super featherweight champion Takashi Miura in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Miura, who is coming off of an impressive 12th round knockout win over Miguel “Mickey” Roman on January 28. Salido wanted to fight a rematch against Francisco Vargas, but he was stopped in the 11th round on January 28 by Miguel Berchelt.
Salido is reportedly disappointed that Vargas didn’t face him in a rematch, because he wanted that fight. The two of them fought each other last June in a fight that wound up being scored a 12 round draw. Salido fought well enough to deserve the victory, but the three judges working the fight scored it a draw. Vargas could have fought Salido in a rematch and likely made more money than for his fight against Berchelt. In hindsight, you’d have to think that Vargas regrets his decision to face Berchelt rather than Salido again.
Salido can’t face Berchelt for his WBC title, because he plans on taking a voluntary defense first before he tackles a tough fight against Miura.
“For now we have the date of April 29 set aside for a fight in Hermosillo, Sonora, before an opponent to confirm,” said Salido’s manager Sean Gibbons to ESPN Deportes. “So soon Salido is already training for anything that happens and we do not leave aside the other option that is a possible with Miura on HBO in the United States, would be a sensational war,” Gibbons said.
It’s doubtful that Miura will want to take a tough fight against Salido if he’s going to be getting a title shot against Berchelt soon. It would make more sense if Miura would take it easy until he gets the fight against Berchelt rather than facing Salido in a grueling fight.
Salido has had rotten luck in his last two fights against Francisco Vargas and Roman “Rocky” Martinez. Both fights were scored draws despite the fact that Salido appeared to win both of them. It’s just really bad luck for Salido that the judges working those two fights didn’t see him as the better fighter, because a lot of boxing fans felt that he won.
“We know that Miura is waiting for Miguel Berchelt,” said Gibbons. “Salido is also waiting for that decision, so we are going to wait to decide next week to see what is best for the Orlando race.”