The Mayweather vs Berto undercard was one of the most explosive in recent memory, and Roman Martinez and Orlando Salido‘s 12 round slugfest didn’t disappoint. In fact, the only disappointing thing was the result, a Split Draw. Not because it was terribly unjust, but because an all-action tear-up just tastes that bit sweeter with a clear winner.
Martinez nonetheless leaves the ring with his WBO Junior Lightweight title in tow, and one hell of a headache. Unfortunately for Salido, who we had ahead by just one round (114-113), he’ll be leaving with just one of those things. Official scores came in at 115-113, 113-115 and 114-114, which really says a lot about this clash.
After a bubbling opener, the action heated up in the 2nd. Then in the 3rd, both men scored knockdowns, Martinez going down from tangled legs, and Salido off a hard right-hand counter. Salido survived to the bell, and then came the furious telephone-booth war in Vegas. Back-and-forth, toe-to-toe – whatever you wanna call it, this bout was action-packed.
There were close rounds, for sure, and when the final bell rang, the winner of this thing seemed to actually matter little. Boxing fans were elated – and exhausted – from this fight, which no doubt did wonders for boxing. Martinez now stands at 29-2-3, 16 knockouts, and Salido 42-13-3, 29 knockouts.
In a hotly contested championship bout for the WBC Super Middleweight strap beforehand, Badou Jack successfully defended his title against George Groves. Scorecards came in at 114-113, 115-112 and 116-111, which showed just how hard some of the closer rounds were to score. We felt the judges’ pain along the way, but had it for Groves 114-113.
Though Groves was the favorite, the Brit was knocked to the canvas in just the 1st round courtesy of a Jack right-hand to the temple. Luckily for Groves it came at the end of the round. Up until that point, Groves had been pumping out what must be one of the quickest, stiffest jabs in boxing. And it remained a weapon throughout the fight after he regained his feet.
In terms of ability, there was little between these two. Both had solid fundamentals, and at times, the right-hand, one-two and jab became primary weapons for both. Groves, as usual was the more opportunistic of the two, trying to wing in counters, while Jack played the role of punisher by pushing forward and doing damage with the right-hand.
This fight was neck-and-neck, and there will be mixed opinion as to who should’ve left with the championship tonight. Could we see a rematch in the future? Only time will tell – but it would likely be embraced by the majority of boxing fans.
Jack now extends to 20-1-1, 12 knockouts, while Groves falls to 21-3, 16 knockouts.
The night got underway with a fantastic Junior Lightweight tear-up between Jhonny Gonzalez and Jonathan Oquendo. The fight may have contained some unfortunate accidental head-clashes but it also contained some thunderous exchanges, plus two knockdowns. Gonzalez dropped his foe in the 1st round with an uppercut, and Oquendo returned the favor with a counter-right in 2nd which nearly ended the show.
This wasn’t a classic fight, but it was an absorbing Mayweather vs Berto opener. There were some close rounds, but Oquendo deserved the nod, which came as a Majority Decision via scores of 94-94, 95-93 and 98-90. Oquendo moves to 26-4, 16 knockouts, while Jhonny Gonzalez drops to 58-10, 49 knockouts.
Mayweather vs Berto Undercard: Round by Round
Groves vs Jack Round by Round
Round 1: Groves with the jab. Lightning quick, solid. He’s looking very sharp here. Jack has no answer as of yet. Groves whipping in the left-hook. Jack pumping out his own jab. Groves down off a right-hand! Jack cautious, bell rings. Even (9-9)
Round 2: Groves back on the jab. Needs to watch that Jack right-hand. Groves gets in a short right-hand. Groves back on the jab – certainly winning the battle of the jabs. Groves, 10-9 (19-18)
Round 3: Jack gets in a double-jab. Groves returns the favor. Groves opens up with one-two. Jack right-hand gets in. Jabs, jabs. One-two from Jack. They trade in close. Turning into a tear-up. Groves takes a right-straight. Returns one of his own. Hard round to score, but Jack edges it, 10-9 (28-28)
Round 4: Back to the jabs. This is a pick’ em fight right here, folks. They exchange jabs, body shots. Counters. Jack grazes with a hard right. Not much between these two. You can sense a dynamite shot ending this thing at any point. Groves, 10-9 (38-37)
Round 5: Groves with the stiff jab. One-two. Right-hand on the pivot. They open up center ring. Tactical, economical powerful punching. Hard, hard fight for both men. Big right-hand gets in from Groves. On the button. Jack gets a right in before the bell. Groves, 10-9 (48-46)
Round 6: Groves getting in some clean jabs. Stiff jab, indeed. Jack still looking solid. Jack left-hook upstairs. Jack trying to push Groves onto backfoot. Groves getting in some crunching, registering right-hands. Good work. Jack responds well, but this is Groves’ round. 10-9 (58-55)
Round 7: Jack pushing forward, getting off the jab. Takes a Groves right-hand. Jack is strong, strong, strong. Jack gets a long left-hook in. Groves takes it. What a fight we have here. One-two from Groves. Jack with the jab. Jack trying to smother and work inside now. Groves jab. Is Jack tiring here? Groves, 10-9 (68-64)
Round 8: They jab, Jack lands low. Left-hook upstairs from Jack. Groves jab. One-two. Jack coming on strong, pushing forward. Going to the body. Groves with the jab. Spearing jab. Jack, 10-9 (77-74)
Round 9: Jack gets in a right-hand, Groves feels it. Is Groves struggling with the pace here? Still has the jab. Takes a right-hand. And another on the ropes. Groves looking shaky. Groves still lively, but Jack looks the stronger, fitter man. Jack, 10-9 (86-84)
Round 10: Jabs fly. Right-hand hits Groves. Jack stalking. Groves combination. Good work. Jack right-hand. Jack jab. Groves with the jab, right-hand counter. Not enough to discourage Jack. Groves hurt by body shot. Jack, 10-9 (95-94)
Round 11: Jabs start the round. Jack landing more and more leather now, it seems. Groves takes another shot to the body. His jab is keeping off Jack’s pressure. Nice combination from Groves. Groves right-hand. Left-hook from Jack. Gets trapped on ropes. Groves, 10-9 (105-103)
Round 12: Groves with the jab. Jack comes forward with straight combinations. Jack landed more leather here. Groves with the jab. Jack traps Groves on ropes. Jack right-hand. They exchange power shots. Jack, 10-9 (114-113)
Result: Jack wins via Split Decision (114-113, 115-112, 116-111)
Boxing Base Scorecard: 114-113
Martinez vs Salido II Round by Round
Round 1: Salido the aggressor – of course he is! Stalking, cutting off the ring. Martinez bouncing round the ring. Martinez gets in a couple of hooks as Salido charges in. Salido making this a rough-house fight already. Holding, shaking. Martinez due to cleaner work, 10-9
Round 2: Salido gets in a big right-hand, this thing is catching fire, people. Martinez responds, they trade. No bombs land. Referee warns about low punches. Salido to the body. Martinez gets in a one-two. Evenly matched so far, as was billed. Salido lands a long right-hand, Martinez chops away with his own attack to end round. Salido, 10-9 (19-19)
Round 3: Salido piling on the pressure, Martinez countering. Martinez goes down, but probably off balance more than anything. Complains deeply to referee after beating count. Salido digs to body, eats a right upstairs from Martinez. Salido caught with right-hand, gets up at 8. Salido wobbly. Takes another right. Bell rings. Even, 9-9 (28-28)
Round 4: Salido hurt again, Salido fires right back, they trade. Hard round to score, but Martinez edges the action. Martinez, 10-9 (38-37)
Round 5: Salido cracks Martinez with a huge right upstairs. Martinez somehow shakes it off. Here comes the steamroller, folks. The puncher is coming in swinging. Martinez fires back, they trade on ropes. They trade, bang, bang, head, body, head, body. Martinez has a great chin. Salido bags this one, 10-9 (47-47)
Round 6: Salido chopping away at the mid section of Martinez. Hard fight, even harder men. Martinez uppercut. Salido finds the jab. They exchange. Martinez coming off better in exchanges. Salido charging forward. They swing until the bell rings. Martinez, 10-9 (57-56)
Round 7: They enter ferocious exchange. Salido then cracks Martinez with a number of telling blows in the next one. Salido is getting the better of Martinez here. The two are just throwing relentlessly. Jeez! Forget footwork. Salido, 10-9 (66-66)
Round 8: Salido turning up the heat once more – who knew he could? Batters Martinez’s face with thunderous shots. Now Martinez is firing back. Martinez hurt by body shot, shakes his head in defiance. The pace simmers – well, for a second. Salido begins swinging again. Tags Martinez. Martinez a little wobbly, but starts firing back. Salido, 10-9 (75-76)
Round 9: Neither man is outworking the other, but Salido is landing the more punches. Martinez is wearing down, tiring, and it’s pretty clear. Salido punishing the body. Every punch is being answered. In a word: relentless. An exchange of about 30 punches closes the round. Salido, 10-9 (86-84)
Round 10: Martinez traps Salido on the ropes, goes to work and nails his man. Salido turns Martinez. Martinez has found his second wind. Now Salido is doing damage. What are these men made of? They trade. That’s all they do. Martinez by a whisker, 10-9 (94-95)
Round 11: Both men chopping away, taking chunks out of one another. No leg-buckling shots as of yet. Martinez’s loose glove tape gets cut by corner. Salido charges Martinez. Martinez returns the favor. They go toe-to-toe again. Salido lands a telling left-hook just before the bell. Martinez, 10-9 (104-104)
Round 12: They trade from the bell. Salido to the body. Salido charging in. They just keep unloading. And Martinez’s mouthpiece flies out. Still, he fights on. This round has to go to Salido, 10-9 (114-113)
Result: Fight ends in Split Draw (115-113, 113-115, 114-114)
Boxing Base Scorecard: 114-113, Salido
Gonzalez vs Oquendo Round by Round
Round 1: Both men feeling out with the jab. Combination – possibly an uppercut – drops Oquendo. Beats count. Oquendo seems fine. Comes back with the jab. Left-hook gets in. They trade some good shots in the closing seconds. Good round. Gonzalez, 10-8
Round 2: Oquendo starts fast, is going straight to Gonzalez. Gonzalez has a suspected cut over eye from an accidental head-butt during 1st round. Oquendo of course now sees a target to aim for. Oquendo drops Gonzalez with a right-hand! Gonzalez regains feet, fights back, but Oquendo is all over him! What a fight! Oquendo, 10-8
Round 3: Oquendo chasing an early night’s work here – both men slip to the canvas while swinging with power shots. Gonzalez finding his feet. And this is not the predicted mismatch in any sense. This is a war. Very tasty exchanges unfolding, and Oquendo is having the greater success. Oquendo, 10-9 (28-27)
Round 4: Oquendo is looking like a very capable fighter with decent power in there. Getting the better of Gonzalez so far in the round. Gonzalez of course has the greater TNT potency up his sleeve which can be delivered at any given moment. Oquendo, 10-9 (38-36)
Round 5: Oquendo still edging the action here, accidentally pushes Gonzalez to the canvas. Gonzalez is looking very defensive here, not wanting to take too many risks. Oquendo is no longer an underdog in this fight. Tables are turning fast. Oquendo, 10-9 (48-45)
Round 6: Oquendo is getting in sneaky left-hooks, really looking busy and outshining Gonzalez. That said, we’re not counting out Gonzalez. He’s still punching, and he’s still dangerous. Good fight. And great start to the evening. Gonzalez tags Oquendo with a couple of full-blooded hooks in the closing seconds. Close round, but Oquendo for me by a whisker, 10-9 (58-54)
Round 7: Gonzalez isn’t getting beaten up, but he’s getting backed up slightly here. Wow – Gonzalez whips in some hard hooks – but Oquendo somehow shakes them off. Jeez… Gonzalez, 10-9 (67-64)
Round 8: Oquendo sticking his head in considerably as he charges in – gets a warning from referee. Gonzalez drives an uppercut in. Oquendo whips in a left-hook. A left-hook from Gonzalez finds the target. They trade on the ropes. And then center ring. Hard, hard round to score, but Gonzalez edges it. Oquendo is cut over right eye – from accidental head-clash. Gonzalez, 10-9 (74-76)
Round 9: Doctor has a look at Gonzalez’s cut, lets it continue. Oquendo coming on strong, but things are getting messy inside. Fatigue is hitting both boxers. Oquendo, 10-9 (86-83)
Round 10: Oquendo’s glove tape needs cutting. According to our scorecard, Gonzalez needs a knockout here. But we’ve a feeling the scorecards could disagree given the closeness of some rounds. This round is particularly messy, and the referee is working just as hard as the fighters themselves. Gonzalez looking very tired. A lot of tying up. Oquendo, 10-9 (96-92)
Result: Oquendo wins via Majority Decision (94-94, 95-93, 98-90)
Boxing Base Scorecard: 96-92, Oquendo
Give us your take on Groves vs Jack and the rest of the Mayweather vs Berto Undercard.
Mark Phillips is the Head Staff Writer/Assistant Editor at BoxingBase.com, and provides worldwide news, coverage and analysis – he can be reached via our Contact Page.
