By Kathryn Bender, Star-Bulletin
Jesus Salud eyes his opponent, Sairoong Suwannaslip,
during last night's fight at the Blaisdell Arena.
Salud wins by KO
The former Nanakuli resident
By Paul Arnett
dropped his Thai opponent
in the second round
Star-BulletinJesus Salud bid Sairoong Suwannaslip an early swan song. The former World Boxing Association champion cut loose a right hand that landed with the impact of a soprano nailing a high C.
Suwannaslip dropped to the canvas, struggled to his feet and took the mandatory eight count. But after referee Abraham Pacheco asked the 22-year-old to step forward, he didn't respond.
"He had that faraway look in his eye," Pacheco said. "I had to stop it because he had no idea where he was."
The 32nd knockout and 56th victory of Salud's career came 33 seconds into the second round of the 124-pound bout. It set up a possible title fight Dec. 6 in Las Vegas with current World Boxing Council champion Eric Morales.
Longtime Salud manager Bobby DePhilippis said Morales is scheduled to be on the undercard of Oscar De La Hoya's next title bout.
"We would go if they asked us," DePhilippis said. "If not, we have some other possibilities for early next year. Jesus has still got it.
"He threw one right hand with a little juice on it right down the middle and he knocked the guy out. It was right on the button. I just wish the fight had gone a little longer."
So did approximately 2,000 fight fans on hand at Blaisdell Arena last night. They reacted angrily to the decision to stop the fight, but those boos turned to cheers after Salud trotted around the ring with his arms raised in victory.
"This is why I love to fight here," the former Nanakuli resident said. "The people of Hawaii always support me. They get my juices flowing.
"I just tried to feel him out in the first round. I would throw my jabs, but he wouldn't move his head. So OK, I just threw my jabs, setting him up, setting him up. And then I just dropped that right hand on him. Boom. Right on the chin. He went down backward. And sometimes, when you go down like that, it's hard to get back up. When I threw that right hand, it was like hitting a home run. I could feel it."
By Kathryn Bender, Star-Bulletin
Sairoong Suwannaslip tries desperately to regain his
composure while the referee administers the 8-count.
Suwannaslip (21-5) certainly felt it. He remained on his stool for 10 minutes, staring off into space before being escorted from the building.The 34-year-old Salud is 56-9, but doesn't possess the hand speed of the younger champions. Trainer David Love knows the lighter weight classes rely more on quickness than power, so he altered Salud's delivery.
"We're getting him to throw his right hand from his cheekbone and not from his chest," Love said. "It's more compact. It's something they see coming, but they don't see how fast because the distance is shorter and more direct. When you get a little older, you're not allowed as much latitude for mistakes. So this is how we compensate for it, by shortening his punches."
There was no shortage of punches in the five undercard fights. Xavier "Pee Wee" Cortez avenged an amateur loss to Leokava Latu in a 152-pound bout.
Cortez knocked down Latu twice en route to a unanimous decision in the six-round semi-main event. He is 3-2. Latu fell to 4-1.
Marcial Canas (2-3) scored a TKO over Jasen Villagonza (1-1-1). Ring doctor Barry Odegaard stopped the 149-pound fight after the second round due to a severe cut over Villagonza's right eye.
Salud sparring partner Fred Neal (5-0) got off the deck to win a unanimous decision over Rogilio Ortiz (1-2).
Saul Holguin (1-0) beat James Cordova (0-1) and Nikola Keca (2-3) won after Emani Vili (0-1) was disqualified for hitting Keca twice while he was down on the canvas.
