Salinas wins unanimous decision over Vue

Staff report

LAS VEGAS

When Youngstown super featherweight boxer Alejandro “Popo” Salinas wins a fight — which is often — they don’t normally go the distance.

Salinas’ nationally televised bout against Duarn Vue on Tuesday night at The Cannery Casino and Hotel was the exception.

Salinas, 22, the Jack Loew-trained fighter, went the full eight rounds and won a unanimous decision against the 31-year-old Vue (12-1-2), a Wisconsin fighter who suffered his first professional loss.

Salinas (9-1) won by knockout in each of his eight previous professional victories.

“This was a tough, hard fight and Popo is going to be better for it,” Loew told The Vindicator by telephone from Las Vegas moments after the bout ended and the officials’ decision was announced.

Loew said Salinas expected a difficult fight and trained for that eventuality. The fact that he was unable to knock out Vue didn’t faze Salinas, the veteran trainer added.

“I think he did fine [in going the distance] ,” Loew said. “We picked this fight for him. We could have had a much easier fight, but we put him in there against a grown man on purpose.

“We put him in there against a 31-year-old man who threw 1,200 punches in his last fight because we wanted a test for him and he passed the test. I don’t think anything shocked him tonight.”

Loew had said this was a pivotal fight for Salinas at this point in his career because of the exposure of fighting in Las Vegas and and as part of a card televised on FS1.

The trainer said Salinas was already reaping rewards as a result even as he was getting stitches for a cut Vue opened. Salinas also opened one on his opponent.

And the win may open some doors, too.

“We’ve already been approached by a few promoters,” Loew said. “Some people are already throwing us some deals, which is what we wanted. We need a promoter and that’s what we wanted to accomplish out west. I hope there are some offers the kid has secured.”

Loew said “bigger and better things” are on the way for Salinas.

“I know Fox Sports wants to bring a boxing show back to Youngstown,” Loew said.