Four time world champion and two-division world champion Orlando “Siri” Salido (44-14-4, 31 KOs) of Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico and Miguel “Mikey” Roman (58-12, 45 KOs) of Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico clashed Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas live on HBO Boxing After Dark.
It did not take long to warm up as Salido and Roman traded from the start, Salido landed a solid right hand that momentarily staggered Roman as he clinched and held on. Roman pressured in round three as a composed Salido boxed behind the jab. Salido picked up the pace in the fourth as he began to dig Roman's body however a one-two dropped Salido as his lip was busted. In the fifth Salido and Roman started where they left off exchanging.
Trading in the center Salido and Roman stood toe to toe in the sixth as neither took a step back. Round seven was the same as Roman and Salido continued to give the fans a fight. The eighth was non stop action as Roman dropped Salido for a second time. Romans pressure was too much for Salido as dropped him for a third time and finished him off at 1:43 of the ninth.
Super featherweights Kenichi Ogawa (23-1, 17 KOs) of Japan and Tevin Farmer (25-5, 5 KOs) of Philadelphia squared off for the vacant IBF title. The taller Ogawa backed Farmer landing big punches in the opening round. Ogawa landed the right hand solidly as the southpaw Farmer was on his feet backing away. In round three Ogawa stalked as Farmer used a spin move to stay away but Ogawa kept the pressure through the round.
Farmer connected Ogawa in the fifth round with a left hook as the Japense fighter lunged forward the momentum appeared to be going Farmers way. Late in the sixth Ogawa landed a right hand that backed Farmer to the ropes as the Japanese attacked. Ogawa connected Farmer with the right in the seventh but Farmer continued to be slick. Boxing away Farmer landed a left hand in round eight as Ogawa appeared to be frustrated by Farmer's elusiveness.
Late in the fight in the ninth, Farmer had the rhythm going being the slick fighter as Ogawa stuck the jab and stalked. Ogawa connected with a right hand in the tenth but Farmer continued to be the faster handed fighter tallying up points. In the championship rounds Ogawa applied pressure as Farmer continued to be slick. In the twelfth and final round Ogawa was the aggressor as he sensed the urgency, Farmer played it safe staying away and elusive.
Scores were 116-112 for Ogawa, 116-112 for Farmer and 115-113 for Ogawa as he wins the IBF super featherweight title.
Former super featherweight champion Francisco "Bandido" Vargas (24-1-2, 17 KOs) of Mexico City, Mexico returned to the ring won a ninth round technical decision over England's Stephen "Swifty" Smith (25-4, 15 KOs) in a scheduled ten round bout opening up the HBO Boxing After Dark telecast. Vargas was off to a good start using his technique popping the jab teeing off Smith. In round two, Vargas connected a one-two that backed Smith. The third round saw Vargas go forward staying on top of Smith following up with the overhand right. Referee Russell Mora warned Smith in round four for holding as Vargas stayed inside. At the halfway point in the fifth Vargas and Smith clashed heads as Vargas was on the receiving end.
Working the jab, Vargas followed up with the right in round six as he backed Smith. Moments after time referee Russell Mora warned Smith for holding for the third time in the fight. Smith began to gain momentum in the late rounds but Vargas continued to land consistently. There was a nasty cut on Smith's left ear as it appeared to be split caused by a clash of heads as they went to the scorecards.
The judges scores were 89-82, 88-83, and 88-83 as Francisco Vargas wins a technical decision.
Super featherweights Dennis Shafikov (38-4, 20 KOs) of Russia and Nicaragua's Rene Alvarado (28-8, 19 KOs) battled it out in a ten round bout. Alvarado stick and moved as Shafikov was the aggressor. However fighting on the inside in round two a clash of heads caused a nasty cut on the side of Shafikov's head as blood was gushing profusely. Despite the bleeding Shafikov kept coming connecting big punches at Alvarado as the Nicaraguan countered. The blood continued to flow down Shafikov's face in the fifth but the Russian kept pressuring as Alvarado kept his distance. However a short right hand by Alvarado knocked down Shafikov as he didn't see that punch coming.
Past the halfway point in round six Alvarado stuck to plan and boxed with Shafikov looking to land the big punch. It was a bloody mess in the eighth as nothing was stopping Shafikov pressures Alvarado stood in there mixing it up. Alvarado kept his distance and boxed in the ninth but Shafikov connected with a solid body shot stopping the Nicaraguan's momentum. The tenth and final round Shafikov applied the pressure as the fight was close Alvarado stood his ground in going the distance and making it an ugly fight.
In the end the judges scored the bout 96-93, and 96-94 for Alvarado, as one judge had it 95-94 Shafikov as Rene Alvarado pulls of a split decision.
Making his pro debut Ireland's Aaron "Silencer" McKenna _ Travis Conley (1-0, 1 KO)
Tijuana, Mexico's undefeated super welterweight Jaime Munguia (26-0, 22 KOs) scored a second round stoppage over Paul Valenzuela (20-9-2, 16 KOs) of Mexico. Trading left hooks in round two Munguia got the better one in as Valenzuela went down. Munguia dropped Valenzuela a second time as he continued to fight but referee Jay Nady had seen enough stopping the fight at 1:26 of the second.
Super featherweight Pedro Duran (16-0, 13 KOs) of Paramount, California stopped Daniel Evangelista (20-9-2, 16 KOs) of Mexico City in the fifth. A slow paced fight early on Duran was patient landing a left hook in the fifth sending Evangelista to the canvas, Duran dropped Evangelista a second time in the round with the same left hook. Evangelista had seen enough as he did not come out of his corner referee Tony Weeks waived the bout at the end of the fifth.
In the opening bout from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas Mexican flyweight prospect Joselito Lopez (5-0, 5 KOs) of Cancun, Mexico stopped Mexican journeyman Armando Vasquez (22-21-1, 5 KOs) of Mexicali. Lopez dropped Vasquez in the fifth round as he got up but Lopez continued to attack as referee Jay Nady stopped the fight at 1:27 of the fifth