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Monday, October 7, 2013

Salita to Face Bracero

Welterweight Dmitriy Salita is scheduled to face Gabriel Bracero on November 9 at the Aviator Sports Complex in Brooklyn, New York. Both men are from Brooklyn and both have only one career loss apiece. The winner could earn a fight against a contender.

Bracero marks Salita's toughest opponent by a good margin since his 2009 world title challenge against Amir Khan. Salita (35-1-1, 18 KOs) hasn't fought since last October 20. Dmitriy had two fights with Hector Camacho Jr. cancelled over the past year.

Bracero (22-1, 4 KOs) has fought three times since last October, winning all three against journeymen with winning records. His lone loss came at the hands of DeMarcus Corley, a former world champion who had lost his previous six bouts at that point. On paper, Salita will be the toughest opponent of Bracero's career.

Despite Bracero's paltry KO percentage, he's not a boxer. He prefers to come forward and pressure his man. He has more power than his knockout total suggests, but he doesn't have a finishing impulse. His best win came against Danny O'Connor, a good boxer who has less power than Bracero. In the loss to Corley, Bracero was confused by his opponent's southpaw stance. Int he second round of that fight, Corley hesitated in mid-punch freezing Bracero before landing a straight left that badly hurt the Brooklynite. Bracero was knocked down three times in the fight, but showed the courage and toughness to fight back in losing a decision.

Salita is the bigger man and the bigger puncher. While Bracero has never weighed in over 146 pounds for a fight, Salita has done so in each of his previous five bouts. Salita is also two inches taller and has more experience in the ring although he's a year younger.

Bracero will need to come forward, get inside, and be busier than he usually is to be successful in this fight. As long as Salita can keep Bracero away with his jab, his best punch, Salita will have a great chance to win. If Salita is then able to walk Bracero down, a stoppage could be in the works.

The fight is scheduled for ten rounds.

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