Salido planning to take WBO title back from Martinez

Orlando Salido hasn't forgotten the feeling that comes with being a world champion.

The adulation. The money. The respect. It was all there for the 34-year-old Mexican star, who has held the title at featherweight and super featherweight over the course of his 18-year career. And though he has no intentions of retiring anytime soon, Salido knows he may not get many more opportunities to win a world title.

He gets such a chance Saturday when he faces Roman "Rocky" Martinez at the MGM Grand Garden as part of the undercard for the Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Andre Berto pay-per-view telecast on Showtime.

Salido, a former World Boxing Organization super featherweight titleholder, is out for revenge after Martinez defeated him April 11 in Martinez's native Puerto Rico to take Salido's belt.

"I want to prove to everybody I still have a long career ahead of me, and I want to go out and recapture the world title," said Salido (42-13-2, 29 knockouts).

Martinez (29-2-2, 17 KOs) knocked down Salido twice in their first meeting but was unable to finish him. Still, he won a 12-round unanimous decision by scores of 116-109, 115-110 and 114-111, and Salido almost immediately wanted a rematch.

"Roman hit me with some great shots," Salido said. "I felt I lost the first fight mentally. This fight, I feel so much better mentally and spiritually. Everything is different this time, and I think that the results will be different."

Martinez has rebounded since Mikey Garcia knocked him out in November 2013 to win the title. But Martinez won the title back against Salido.

"I saw an opportunity, and I took advantage of it," Martinez said. "But I'm not coming into this fight overconfident because I beat him the last time. Orlando Salido is a dangerous fighter, and I understand I must bring 100 percent and be at my absolute best."

Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO of Mayweather Promotions, said putting the Martinez-Salido rematch on the Mayweather-Berto undercard was a no-brainer.

"It was the best fight out there that we could make," Ellerbe said. "We know the first fight was a hardcore fight, and I suspect we'll have another great fight."

Salido said he can't afford to be careless if he wants to win the rematch.

"I sparred with guys that are very mobile, who like to move a lot, because I know Roman is going to constantly be on the move," Salido said. "In our first fight, I didn't spar with guys who are very mobile. But I'm prepared to go ahead and seek Roman Martinez in every corner of the ring."

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.