Dan Rafael of espn.com is reporting that a solid doubleheader has been consummated for November 10th on HBO that will originate from Las Vegas as WBC Super Welterweight eliminator between Erislandy Lara and Vanes Martirosyan as well as WBO Featherweight champion Orlando Salido defending against Mikey Garcia.
“Showtime informed our attorney that they are passing on the match,” said Top Ranlk’s Carl Moretti, adding that the card will take place in a 3,500-seat ballroom at the Wynn.
“This is a fight that matches Garcia’s youth against Salido’s experience,” Moretti said. “It’s boxer-puncher (Garcia) versus brawler (Salido). Clearly, whoever wins the fight establishes himself as probably the best featherweight in the world.”
Top Rank, which promotes 2004 U.S. Olympian Martirosyan (32-0, 20 KOs), won the right to the fight by winning a purse bid in July. Top Rank’s offer of $405,000 topped the $326,000 bid made by rival Golden Boy, which has Lara (17-1-1, 11 KOs), a former world amateur champion who defected from Cuba, under contract.
“It’s a very interesting fight,” Moretti said. “Both guys are quality contenders and both guys had stellar amateur backgrounds. There is a lot on the line for both of these guys. The winner of this fight will have truly earned the title fight. Vanes is really pumped for it.”
Said Martirosyan, “I’m bringing a big wagon so after I beat Lara people can jump on the Team Vanes Wagon. I can’t wait.”
“This is a great opportunity for Mikey even though Salido is not the guy we originally wanted,” manager Cameron Dunkin said. “This is the toughest featherweight in the world. It’s a very, very tough fight for Mikey. Believe me, there are other guys we would have rather fought but we needed somebody who would show up. Mikey wanted to fight for a title and with the other fight (against Caballero) falling apart, we all talked about it — me, Mike, his father (Eduardo) and (trainer and brother) Robert — and we decided we needed to go and make this fight.
“We wanted to fight Caballero but it didn’t materialize for different reasons. So here we are. We know Salido is a warrior. We know it’s a really hard fight, but Mikey is ready. This is what he’s wanted. Salido was willing to give Mikey the opportunity and he can’t wait.”
