By Jake Donovan
HBO kicks off its 2013 season with a tripleheader live from Madison Square Garden's The Theatre in New York City.
Orlando Salido puts his featherweight title on the line against unbeaten Mikey Garcia in a bout that has many anticipating the first Fight of the Year contender.
Salido (39-11-2, 27KO) came in at the divisional limit of 126 lb for the third defense of the title he won nearly two years ago. Garcia (30-0, 26KO) weighed 125.6 lb for his first shot at a major title.
Gennady Golovkin makes his second straight network - and stateside - appearance as he risks his unbeaten record and middleweight belt against Gabriel Rosado, who gives up a mandatory title shot at super welterweight.
Golovkin (24-0, 20KO) weighed in exactly at the 160 lb. middleweight limit. Rosado tipped the scales at 159 lb, his heaviest weight in more than two years, as he has actively campaigned in the super welterweight division.
The opening bout of the telecast pits Roman 'Rocky' Martinez in a super featherweight title defense against Juan Carlos Burgos.
Martinez (26-1-1, 16KO) makes the first defense of his second reign as an alphabet titlist, having won the vacant belt last September. The all-action Puerto Rican star weighed in at 129.5 lb, slightly heavier than challenger Juan Carlos Burgos, who tipped the scales at a lean 129 lb.
All three bouts air live on HBO, beginning at 9:45PM ET. The remaining undercard bouts will be streamed live on TopRank.TV, with the first fight set to begin at 7:00PM ET.
Weigh-in results:
Orlando Salido, 126 lb vs. Mikey Garcia, 125.6 lb - 12 rounds, for Salido's featherweight belt
Gennady Golovkin, 160 lb vs. Gabriel Rosado, 159 lb - 12 rounds, for Golovkin's middleweight belt
Roman Martinez, 129.5 lb vs. Juan Carlos Burgos, 129 lb - 12 rounds, for Martinez' super featherweight belt
Felix Verdejo, 130.5 lb vs. Tomi Archambault, 129.5 lb - four rounds, super featherweight
Sean Monaghan, 177.5 lb vs. Roger Cantrell, 184.5 lb - eight rounds, light heavyweight
Ronald Ellis, 168.5 lb vs. Steven Tyler, 170 lb - four rounds, super middleweight
Isa Akberbayev, 196.5 lb vs. Anthony Ferrante, 196 lb - eight rounds, cruiserweight
Glen Tapia vs. Ayi Bruce, 153.25 lb - eight rounds, super welterweight
Michael Zewski, 149.5 lb vs. Brandon Hoskins, 146.5 lb - six rounds, welterweight
Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of krikya360.com. Follow Jake on Twitter:
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