SPORTS SHORTS 266: VIC SALUDAR DEFENDS WBA MINIMUMWEIGHT TITLE AGAINST ERICK ROSA PACHECO ON DECEMBER 21
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 25 Nov 2021
Victorio "Vic" Saludar will defend his WBA world minimumweight title for the first time against Erick Rosa Pacheco, age 21 years, from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic in enemy territory. Saludar is packed with force and expertise while Erick Rosa "Mini Pacman" Pacheco is young and technically skilled.
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The clash of these two warriors for the World Boxing Association world minimumweight title will happen on December 21 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, hometown of Rosa. Saludar will absolutely be fighting before hostile audience.
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The 30-year-old Saludar, who possesses a professional record of 21-4 with 11 knockouts, is not too confident even if he has the slight advantage over Rosa who is inexperienced at 4-0, with 1 knockout.
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Saludar is religiously training under chief trainer Jojo Palacios at the Laurente High Camp in General Santos City, according to Rappler. He won the WBA title via a split decision win over countryman Robert Paradero on February 20, at the Football Stadium, Biñan, Laguna.
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In his last fight Rosa fought the then undefeated Peruvian Ricardo Astuvilca for the interim WBA minimumweight title on July 21, 2021. Astuvilca was the more experienced fighter winning 21 professional fights. Rosa won the interim title by unanimous decision, with the scores of 117-110 (twice) and 115-113.
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The winner between Saludar and Rosa will most probably face the winner of the title fight between WBA minimumweight gold champion Leyman Benavides of Nicaragua and No. 3 challenger Byron Rojas also of Nicaragua.
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Saludar had his professional debut with a first round TKO of Juanito Hundante at the Solaire Resort Hotel and Casino, Pasay City.
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Victorio "Vic" Saludar was born November 3, 1990 in Polomolok, South Cotabato. Nicknamed "Vicious" Vic Saludar was successful as an amateur fighter. He won six times as a national amateur champion in the flyweight division.
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He won a bronze medal at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, losing in the semifinals to Birzhan Zhakypov of Kazakhstan. Saludar has two brothers who are also into boxing. Rey Saludar won a gold medal at the 2010 Asian Games, and Froilan Saludar is a former world flyweight title challenger.
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In his professional debut, Saludar of Polomolok, South Cotabato floored Juanito Hundante in the very first round for a TKO at the Solaire Hotel and Casino, Pasay City on July 13, 2013. On September 14, 2013, he knocked out Camilo Rey Seneres in the first round again for a TKO win in Iloilo City.
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Saludar suffered his first loss in his third pro bout, fracturing his hand during a six-round match against journeyman Powell Balaba. He was forced to retire on the stool after four rounds, having previously dropped Balaba in the first stanza in a fight held November 23, 2013.
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He won the vacant WBO Asia Pacific minimumweight title via a very impressive first round TKO of Indonesian Rizky Pratama on September 9, 2015 before his hometown fans in Polomolok.
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Saludar was unsuccessful in his first attempt at the world title challenging Kosei Tanaka for the WBO minimumweight championship. But he was knocked out in the 6th round by a powerful left hook to the body. Saludar floored Tanaka in the 6th, and had won every round on two of the three scorecards before the unexpected stoppage.
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Tanaka won the WBO minimumweight title in only his fifth bout from Mexico’s Julian Yadras and set a Japanese record of winning a world boxing title in the fewest number of fights.
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He triumphed over Jimboy Haya to win the vacant WBO Oriental minimumweight title by UD in Cagayan de Oro City. He also avenged his loss to Powell Balaba in a rematch by UD also in CDO.
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Saludar suffered his third career loss to Toto Landero, in a split decision. Landero used volume punching and aggressive style to convince two judges on June 10, 2017 in Mandaue City.
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He would earn a second shot at the WBO minimumweight title against Ryuya Yamanaka on July 13, 2018 at the Central Gym in Kobe, Japan. The Japanese suffered a cut over his eye, and was knocked down in the 7th round. Saludar won a unanimous decision 116-111, 117-110 and 115-112 becoming a world champion.
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Yamanaka suffered a subdural hematoma after being hit several times during the fight and retired after the loss. It was only his second title defense.
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Saludar returned to Japan where he won his world title, this time winning over Masataka Taniguchi by unanimous decision to retain the WBO minimumweight title on February 26, 2019 in Tokyo. The scores were 118-110 on one judge's card and 117-111 on the other two.
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Saludar faced Wilfredo Mendez of Puerto Rico in his next defense and lost by a unanimous decision to relinquish his WBO minimumweight title at the Puerto Rico Convention Center in San Juan, Puerto Rico on August 24, 2019.
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The scores were 117-110, 115-112, and 116-111, giving Puerto Rico its only male world champion that time after several losses of its top fighters. This in spite of Saludar scoring the only knockdown of the fight in the 3rd round.
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Saludar was scheduled to face Robert Paradero for the vacant WBA Regular mini-flyweight title on February 19, 2021, at the Biñan Football Stadium in Biñan, Philippines. The fight was originally planned for September 26, 2020, in Manila, but was eventually pushed back due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Saludar won the fight by split decision, with two judges awarding Saludar 115-113 and 116-112 scorecards, while the third judge score the bout 118-110 for Paradero.
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On August 30, 2021, the WBA ordered Saludar to face the No. 1 ranked mini flyweight contender Erick Rosa in a mandatory title fight. The two of them were given 30 days to negotiate the terms of the bout, before it would head to a purse bid. They agreed to fight on December 21.
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Saludar has a pro record of 20 wins, 11 if them by knockout, 4 defeats with 2 KO losses in 24 total fights.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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