LOVING MONSTERS: Orlando Salido TKO10 Juan Manuel Lopez

In a breathtaking display of ultraviolence, veteran dangerman Orlando Salido battered fearless but outgunned Juan Manuel Lopez into a 10th-round TKO defeat before a packed Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Saturday night.

With the win, Salido, whose know-how can serve as a how-to for any number of young fighters, puts himself into the fray for big money fights. Or, paradoxically, perhaps he has taken himself right out of them. Either way, his give-and-take melee with Lopez solidifies his standing as a genuine prizefighter, a man whose discipline and professionalism—along with an overriding air of Mexican-style menefreghista—will take him anywhere and under any circumstances. No matter where he goes, Salido will pack nothing but trouble in his suitcase, like a gunslinger who never forgets to take extra rounds with him to Dodge City.

Lopez, 125 ¾, opened the rematch moving predominately to his right—away from the right hand that had bedeviled him all night last April. It was a sign that he had made adjustments going into battle, but no sooner was he moving to the right than Salido was cracking him with hard lefts. Operating from behind his flicking southpaw jab, Lopez appeared ready to box; a counter right hook from the outside seemed to be his preferred weapon. Still, Salido, 126, built an early lead over the first four rounds, pressing the action and landing the more effective blows throughout, including two rights that wobbled Lopez and a ripping uppercut that jarred Lopez along the ropes in the...

Source: http://thecruelestsport.com/2012/03/13/loving-monsters-orlando-salido-tko10-juan-manuel-lopez/

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JuanMa Lopez Falls Again, Can He Beat the Count?

Another chapter in the historic rivalry between Mexico vs. Puerto Rico concluded last night as Orlando Salido successfully defended his WBO Super Featherweight Title against Juan Manuel Lopez in their much anticipated rematch that is certainly a fight of the year candidate.

The fight even outdid the action and excitement of the first fight, and even lasted longer, going the course of ten rounds instead of eight this time around. A grueling war of attrition for both fighters, Salido took charge in the later rounds and knocked Lopez out in the opening seconds of the tenth round.

I predicted this outcome, although I thought the result would occur a bit quicker than the first time. I anticipated a tactical fight from Lopez, especially during the opening rounds, and expected a fire to ignite between the fighters and an all-out brawl manifesting as the fight progressed.

The reasons, as to why I thought Salido would prevail again in the rematch, were Salido’s size, awkward style, tenacity, and the lack of discipline and defense from Lopez.

Salido is bigger than the opponents Lopez is accustomed to facing, as he has fought as high as junior welterweight (140 pounds) and is a seasoned veteran who is tough as nails. Salido gave Cuban phenomenon Yuriyorkis Gamboa problems, and also fought against the likes of Juan Manuel Marquez, Robert Guerrero and easily beat Rogers Mtagwa, a guy who almost koed Lopez...

Read more: http://www.boxinginsider.com/columns/juanma-falls-again-can-he-beat-the-count/#ixzz1p0AuuktY

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Pierce, Rondo too much for Knicks

WHEN the New York Knicks visited Cleveland last Friday night, they encountered little resistance from an overwhelmed and undermanned Cavaliers team that lost badly, 120-103.

But Sunday afternoon's road trip to Boston told a starkly different story. The Celtics, the 2008 NBA champs, weren't as welcoming at the TD Garden with their suffocating defense and multiple offensive weapons in full display.

The Knicks, who struggled from the get-go and trailed 21-12 in the opening quarter, somehow made the duel an entertaining, high-scoring battle. But in the end, there was too much Paul Pierce. And way too much Rajon Rondo.

Pierce drilled 34 points, including a clutch 3-pointer that knotted the count at 103 and forced the game into overtime when the Knicks failed to convert in the final 4.9 seconds of regulation. The Celtics then took full advantage of their new lease on life and dominated the overtime period to score the 115-111 win.

And while Pierce had his fingerprints all over this match-up, the game clearly belonged to Rajon Rondo, who easily outplayed Knicks point guard and current NBA sensation Jeremy Lin.

Rondo, the subject of trade rumors all week, waltzed his way to 18 points, 20 assists and 17 rebounds. If the Celtics want to contend for an NBA title for years to come, they might want to keep Rondo, a 3-time All-Star who is only 26 years young and already a 5-year NBA veteran.

As Rondo soared, Linsanity was curbed.

Continue Reading: http://philboxing.com/news/story-67233.html

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Lakers unmask Heat's lack of size

A week after sustaining a broken nose at the All-Star Game in Orlando, Kobe Bryant continues to wear a protective facial gear as he and the Lakers toil through the second half of this lockout-shortened NBA season.

And as it turned out Sunday afternoon here at the Staples Center here in downtown L.A., neither mask nor the Miami Heat could stop the Black Mamba.

Bryant insisted he had no ax to grind against the Heat, whose star Dwyane Wade broke his nose on an uncharacteristic hard foul last Sunday. But Kobe played with some extra sauce in this one, scoring 33 points to lead the Lakers past Miami, 93-83.

Kobe made 14 of 23 shots and went 8 of 10 for 16 points in the opening quarter, allowing the Lakers to control the game early and often. In his third 30-plus points performance in three games, Kobe also had 7 rebounds and swished 5-of-7 free throws.

Chris Bosh, a vital piece of Miami's Big 3, attended his grandmother's funeral and didn't suit up for the game. And without the 6-foot-11 power forward, the Heat struggled miserably to contain the Lakers' bigs -- 7-footers Andrew Bynum and Paul Gasol.

Bynum and Gasol combined for 27 points and 23 rebounds as they imposed their collective might in the paint. In sharp contrast, Miami's big men, Joel Anthony and Udonis Haslem, only pooled seven points and 6 rebounds between them.

Continue Reading: http://philboxing.com/news/story-67232.html

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