By James Slater: There could be a terrific doubleheader staged in Puerto Rico some time in November according to the man with all the news, Dan Rafael of ESPN.com. Rafael wrote on his Twitter page that promoter Bob Arum informed him how Top Rank is planning putting on the Orlando Salido-Juan Manuel Lopez rematch in Puerto Rico, with a return fight between Jorge Arce and Wilfredo Vazquez Junior also taking place on the card that same night.
Salido shocked “Juanma” back in April, when he travelled to Puerto Rico to take the southpaw bomber’s WBO featherweight title and unbeaten record. It was thought Salido would either have a voluntary first defence in his homeland of Mexico, or that his return with Lopez would take place there. Now it looks as though the warrior known as “Siri” will have to travel to Lopez’ homeland for a second time.
Wherever the rematch is held, though, the fans will be tuning in. This rematch, along with a second helping of the awesome action fight that was Arce-Vazquez I, will have millions of fans tuning in worldwide. Salido, 35-11-2(23) and 27-year-old Lopez, 30-1(27) went to war in April and the fans got their money’s worth even if the local man never got the win they were hoping for. A return could provide even greater fireworks. Was Salido’s win something of a fluke, or can he again prove he is a better, more durable fighter than Juanma?
Back on May 7th, on the under-card of the disappointing Pacquiao-Mosley affair, Arce of Mexico and Vazquez of Puerto Rico put on a fight so enthralling it stole if not saved the Vegas show. Arce, 57-6-2(44) is never in a bad fight, and he showed he has plenty left at age 31. Also with the win over the previously unbeaten 26-year-old, “Travieso” made history by becoming the first Mexican to have won “world” titles in four different weight classes. A grudge-match that saw both guys trading insults ahead of trading bombs, Arce-Vazquez was a FOTY candidate. Can the sequel be far behind in terms of excitement?
Vazquez had Arce down in the 4th, and the Mexican who likes lollypops also bled from the nose (as he often does, the old wound opening up again and again in fights), but the young champ found the going too heavy in the later rounds, being saved by his corner-men in the very last round. Can Vazquez, 20-1-1(17) get revenge in November, and if so, could we see an Arce-Vazquez trilogy? Now there’s an exciting thought!
With cards such as this one he is currently working on, Arum proves again and again that he is the best promoter out there. Let’s hope the in-the-works November show goes down.