By Gerardo Granados: Are you ready? This Saturday on June 4, at the Stub Hub Center, California, USA, WBC super featherweight champion Francisco “Bandido” Vargas (23-0-1, 17 KOs) will try to defend his title against a rugged veteran, former titlist Orlando “Siri” Salido (43-13-3, 30 KOs). In this particular type of fights it is possible to not to require judges. In fact, this is a fight that not a single hard core fight fan can miss; maybe the boxing purist could also join us that night, because this bout has fight of the year potential written all over it since it was signed.
Today both fighters made the super featherweight limit, Vargas hit the scales at 129.6 and Salido 130 pounds. So the fight is on and I can wait for them to climb into the ring. Against Takashi Miura last November 2015, Bandido Vargas won by TKO9/12 and was awarded the fight of the year by The Ring Magazine and Boxingnews24. It was a great battle and if by any chance the reader hasn’t seen it yet, well then you should better search for it and enjoy.
On the other corner we have Siri Salido who has had great fights against foes like Robert Guerrero, Yuriorkis Gamboa, Juan Manuel Marquez, Rocky Martinez and Juan Manuel Lopez. Salido also has a win over Vasyl Lomachenko just two years ago.
After the disappointing business wise decision made just a week ago or so, by one Mexican so called big name belt holder, who might as well still be regarded by his loyal fans as the face of Mexican boxing; tomorrow two real Mexican warriors will demonstrate to the entire world, that the tradition to prove to not to be afraid to face a dangerous opponents will be continued by Vargas and Salido next Saturday night.
No, I would never expect these fine sons of boxing to disappoint me. After seen them both fight in the past, after seen the champion heart they have showed, after seen them walk into the ring with that face expression that preludes to a genuine battle, no, I cannot imagine for one second that they won’t give their all to please the crowd.
It is better to call your friends over and buy enough snacks and beer, because this is one of those fights no one can miss. Both boxers have a fan friendly fighting style, are durable and brave. And no, there is no catch weight.
This fight between Vargas vs Salido, could as well end up as a classic battle among Mexican fighters, such as: Marco Antonio Barrera vs Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez vs Marco Antonio Barrera, Israel Vazquez vs Rafael Marquez, Daniel Zaragoza vs Erik Morales, Carlos Zarate vs Lupe Pintor, Julio Cesar Chavez vs Mario Azabache Martinez, Ruben Olivarez vs Chucho Castillo, and I would include Johnny Tapia vs Paulie Ayala, Marco Antonio Barrera vs Johnny Tapia, Bobby Chacon vs Rafael Bazooka Limon, Salvador Sanchez vs Danny Little Red Lopez, Humberto Chiquita Gonzalez vs Michael Manitas de Piedra Carbajal, Ultiminio Sugar Ramos vs Armando Mando Ramos, Michael Carbajal vs Jorge Travieso Arce and many more boxers who made fight fans feel proud of prize fighting essence.
It might not be even needed, but Vargas vs Salido might as well end up honoring Mexican boxing tradition after last week disappointment. Do the readers agree?