ROMAN, OGAWA and VARGAS Win Big At Mandalay Bay In Vegas

Photo Credit: Ed Mulholland/HBO Boxing

Tonight’s HBO triple header was billed as must-see and cant-miss TV, and it delivered just that with a program loaded with drama as well as excitement. The Boxing After Dark telecast was broadcasted live from the Mandalay Bay Events Center inside the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino to an appreciative crowd that definitely got their money’s worth and got to give a round of applause to the first responders who were in attendance.

The main event featured Miguel “Micky” Roman (58-12 w/45 KOs) who took on fellow countryman and seasoned warrior, Orlando “Siri” Salido (44-14 w/31 KOs) in a scheduled 10-round super featherweight bout. From the opening bell there wasn’t much of a feeling out process on the part of either fighter. Salido caught Roman cold along the ropes towards the end of round 1 with a mean overhand right that staggered the Ciudad Juarez, Mexico representative. He held on as the final seconds of the opening stanza ticked away but, who knows what story would be printed in the Sunday morning newspaper had Siri” landed that punch 30 seconds earlier? Fortunately for those in attendance and watching at home that was not the case and fans were treated to 27 minutes of war. Neither man gave away much space , either backed off for more than a couple of seconds and both were hungry to prove a point. They matched each other’s combinations and deadly body attacks. The slight edge might have gone to Ciudad Obregon, Mexico’s Salido who always knew instinctively when to circle out or pivot and throw a hook or land an uppercut on the inside. .

The tide drastically turned in Roman’s favor in round 4 when with about a minute left he muscled his man near the ropes, then landed a wicked 3-punch combination. A Roman short right to the body-left hook-right hand sent Salido stumbling backwards and unto the canvas like someone had pulled the chair out from underneath him as he went to sit down. Salido stayed seated for a second or two in order to collect himself with his back along the bottom rope before he hopped back up to beat the 8-count and try to rally. However, this was somewhat different than the previous times we had seen him down in his stellar career. The pep in his step was missing and so was the game-changing power that followed it. Maybe him missing weight the night before by 1.5 pounds was a telling sign that he drained himself physically to try and make the super featherweight limit?

He looked like Salido, he moved like Salido but he was no longer the Salido of old. From round 5 and on he was a step behind Micky” Roman whether they were in close quarters or trading just outside range. Roman was able to smother his man; crowd him with relative ease. Still, Salido marched on throwing combinations galore and would not go quietly into the night. The difference being noticeably more and more in power: Salido’s shots no longer hurt Roman who walked through them and Salido has taken an accumulation of punches that visibly took their toll as his face swelled up and bled.

The end loomed for Salido and the first sign of the inevitably end showed up in round 8. A clean Roman 6-punch combination lit his foe up sending Siri” to the canvas once again with about a minute left in the round. He beat the count however he was in bad shape. Going into the 9th round Roman landed whenever he wanted as Salido slipped and ducked shots as best he could but ended up on the defensive completely. The Mexican warrior was driven along the ropes by some Roman blows with a sneaky hook finding its way to Salido’s body as he collapsed along the ropes. Roman caught him with some follow-up straight punches on the way down and that was it.

Referee Robert Byrd smartly stepped in having seen enough. He waived the contest off officially at (1:43) of Round 9 giving Miguel Micky” Roman the TKO victory over Salido.

Almost poetically in round 9, the same round boxing claimed Osar De La Hoya and Roy Jones Jr. Two other legends that fought valiantly but were TKO’d there also and their careers came to a close.

Salido talked to Max Kellerman after the fight and simply said: “time is costly, it takes a toll on your body….I’m going to leave now”. The direct, powerful and saddening words took the life out of an incredibly joyous crowd that had just given both men a standing ovation for their efforts in an instant classic and candidate for Fight of the Year”. Some in the crowd turned to others confused, quiet and in shock. The bittersweet notion settling in that we just saw a true blood and guts warrior fight for possibly the last time.

Orlando Salido was not at the post-fight press conference which said ultimately more than any of his words could. He simply went to get medically checked out, got cleared and went to his suite that night at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino to be with his close friends and loving family. No more questions, no more comments.

He has given the sport everything and then some, he deserves to be remembered as a stand-up guy who fought everyone never ducking an opponent and when it was his time to step inside that ring he gave fans a part of him each and every time.

As for Miguel “Micky” Roman the sky is the limit. He and his opponent gave fans an early Christmas gift which will echo throughout the boxing landscape and have everyone talking, Roman is ready and made it very clear that he wants gold in his mantle case looking for fights with anyone from Vasyl Lomachenko to Leo Santa Cruz.

OGAWA GETS SPLIT NOD TO CAPTURE IBF GOLD

In the co-main event Japan’ Kenichi Ogawa (23-1 w/17 KOs) traveled from the Land of the Rising Sun to spring the upset on enemy territory as he lifted the IBF Super Featherweight world title via split decision over Tevin Farmer (25-5 w/5 KOs). The scores for Ogawa of 116-112 and 115-113 reflected his hard work and drive while one judge saw it 116-112 for Farmer. The Philadelphia fighter will look at this fight and be frustrated that he gave away too many rounds by trying to check hook his foe coming in or counter him with a hook but miss side. Farmer cultivated the approach to little success giving up too much ground in the process. His constant back pedaling did not convince the judges that he was winning 12-round bout and Ogawa’s mixing of jabs and crosses as he came forward sealed the deal for him as he is now a real player in the super featherweight division.

VARGAS TURNS AWAY SMITH WITH TECHNICAL DECISION

Photo Credit: Ed Mulholland/HBO Boxing

Francisco Vargas (24-2 w/17 KOs) made it clear that he wanted to get back in the ring following his year-long layoff and get some work in leading into his bout with Stephen “Swifty” Smith (25-4) and he did just that with a dominant performance via technical unanimous decision. The scores of 89-82, 88-83 and 88-83 highlighted “El Bandido’s” (the bandit) dominant performance as he returned to his winning ways inside the squared circle. Some accidental head butts occurred slowing down the pace of the fight specially with about 12 seconds left in round 5. There referee Russell Mora called time to check on both men before the action continued.

Another clash of heads would unfortunately bring a really entertaining fight to a close when both men’s head collided and this time Smith’s left ear tore almost completely off of the side of his head. The gushing blood poured profusely putting things on ice. Once he ringside physician took at look at the drastic injury the bout was officially brought to an end in round 9.

Officially the head butt caused a laceration on Stephen Smith’s left ear deeming him unable to continue as Francisco Vargas got the technical unanimous decision since they had cleared 4 rounds and thus went to the score cards.