Omar Salcido was always a lively underdog, but his resume left the door open to whether he could handle the step up in competition.
An emphatic answer was provided by the 24-year-old Hermosillo, Mexico native.
Chris Colbert was knocked out by submission in the ninth round of what was supposed to be a bounce back fight against Salcido. A variety of power shots were enough to reach Colbert’s corner to call the stoppage. Referee Michael DeJesus honored that request at 2:01 of the ninth round Wednesday night from ProBox TV Events Center in Plant City, Florida.
The ProBox TV main event came at a career-heavyweight for Colbert, who fought for the third straight time at lightweight. He was 136.8 pounds at Tuesday’s weigh-in, more than two pounds heavier than in his pair of 2023 fights against Jose Valenzuela.
Brooklyn’s Colbert won their first fight but was emphatically knocked out in the sixth round of their rematch last November. Fittingly, Salcido entered the ring armed with head trainer Jose Benavidez Sr., Valenzuela’s former trainer.
The early action was competitive, but the tone was set for things to come. Colbert boxed well and found his range for his right hand. Salcido applied constant pressure and was successful with his whipping left hook to the body.
Momentum shifted permanently in Salcido’s direction midway through the fight. Colbert lacked the firepower to earn Salcido’s respect and—at this point in his career—the skill set to keep him at bay.
Salcido constantly forced Colbert against the ropes and targeted his body. He would come back upstairs with right hands while showing no regard for the incoming.
Colbert was given a stern warning by his corner, led by Aureliano Sosa, after the eighth round. The clear order was to turn things around or they would pull the plug.
That promise was kept.
Salcido repeatedly hurt Colbert and was headed for a stoppage after a four-fire combo. Colbert was pushed into the ropes, where he absorbed two more shots. Salcido went in to close the show, only for Colbert’s corner to literally throw in the towel in surrender.
Colbert (17-3, 6 KOs) has now lost two in a row and three of his last four.
At his best, Colbert won and defended a secondary version of the WBA junior lightweight title. He was upgraded to full title roster following the divisional departure of Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis (30-0, 28 KOs). However, the glory was short-lived; he lost a lopsided decision in February 2022 to then-undefeated Hector Luis Garcia in Las Vegas.
His lone win since then was a contested ten-round decision over Valenzuela last March 25, also in Vegas. With back-to-back knockout defeats, there are plenty of questions about what’s next for the 28-year-old.
Meanwhile, Salcido’s career is flying high.
The win was his second in a row as he improved to 20-1 (14 KOs). Salcido’s lone loss came in his American debut and on a ProBox show. He was outpointed by Jose Nuñez (17-0-2, 7 KOs) in their battle of undefeated prospects last October 4 in Plant City, Florida.
Salcido rebounded with an eight-round victory over Luis Coria on a December 1 Red Owl Boxing show in Houston, Texas. He had to wait ten months for his next payday, but patience was definitely a virtue on this occasion.
UNDERMAP RESULTS
Tsendbaatar Erdenbat (11-0, 5 KOs) outpointed the Dominican Republic’s Frency Fortunato (15-2, 11 KOs) over ten junior lightweight rounds. The scores were 100-90, 98-92 and 98-92 for Erdenbat, a two-time Olympic quarterfinalist for Mongolia.
Najee Lopez (12-0, 9 KOs) made quick work of late replacement Ismael Ocles (15-17-2, 3 KOs). A poor liver shot forced a delayed reaction serve from which Ecuador’s Ocles never recovered. The light heavyweight bout was stopped at 2:01 of the third round.
Atlanta’s Lopez made his pro debut on the ProBox circuit and has been a constant presence in the lineup.
Opening the four-fight telecast, Los Angeles’ David Navarro (6-1, 3 KOs) outpointed Cincinnati’s Mykell Gamble (7-1, 4 KOs) over eight rounds. The scores were 78-73, 78-73 and 77-74 for Navarro, who has now won five in a row.
