It took a wicked roundhouse right-hand bomb from Orlando Salido, to the unsuspecting mandible of Freddy Neal, to salvage mixed reviews from a "bombing" off B'way ESPN2 FNF production.
The featherweight pairing opened on a feeling out round ... was Neal having the better of things behind an eye-catching jab, better movement and a hint of quicker hands ... Salido spent the entire three minutes sight seeing.
Round two Neal picks up the pace ... elects to mix things up ... dominates the outside action, also the better on the inside ... Salido having little luck at this point - advantage Neal two candles to zilch for Salido.
And then stanza three ... Neal scoring Salido whiffing ... until the 2:35 seconds mark ... it's Neal moving forward when it struck ... the proverbial bolt from the blue ... a wicked roundhouse right lands flush - on that note, the FNF road show becomes recipient of a show saving gift certificate courtesy Orlando Salido.
Had never seen these two before ... feel a bit for Neal ... guy has all the right moves ... but age 31 and no more than 21 outings on the resume it seems he's been too inactive ... maybe the reason he nodded off after enjoying them opening two candles.
And Salido? only age 23 ... goes to 18-8-1, 12 KO's ... not all that sold on the kid ... the show-saver-stopper was as "Hail Mary" as it gets ... but results translates to power inside that right mitten. Suggest he track down a tutor for the boxing skills department.
Co-feature had middleweights Rodney Jones and Jason Papillion ... no intent here to be overly critical but whoever made this one should be sat down ... or maybe sent to a corner while wearing a dunce cap.
Papillion is as cooked as last fall's turkey dinner ... has nothing at a now age 33 ... is blanked 7-0 before corner stops mismatch between candles 7 and 8.
Jones goes to 30-3, 19 KO's ... no kid either at age 33 ... tall southpaw got it done with the jab ... once seeing it safe he takes it inside with flurries ... but this Jones version is strictly small arms fire.
Card also "featured" fill in affairs: check this idiocy ... local Jesse Brinkley of 20-1, 14 whacks facing Joe "Cool" Garcia of washed up and wasted age 36 fame ... yes, "Cool" is iced at 1:10 of second stanza.
Well, not iced ... there for paycheck ... takes left-hook ... then takes full count on one knee. Boo to the matchmaker.
Other prelim with two guys named Jose ... Lopez at age 18 enters at 2-1 with one stoppage ... Cabanillas age 25 shows with resume hinting he's in wrong business as in 2-5-1 with uno knockout ... a swarming Lopez halts Cabinillas at 42 seconds of round four.
Post Script: Were this offering some kind of trial, ala team sports, the guess here is none of the underneath fighters would have made the cut.
Semper fi,
GEL
07-12-03
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