Vito Mielnicki Jr. Dominates Alexis Salazar, Secures First-Round Knockout

Vito Mielnicki Jr. asserted his dominance over Alexis Salazar

In an electrifying display of skill and power, Vito Mielnicki Jr. delivered a commanding performance against Alexis Salazar on Saturday night. The highly anticipated junior middleweight clash took place on the undercard of the David Benavidez-Demetrius Andrade event at the Michelob ULTRA Arena in Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Las Vegas.

Mielnicki, hailing from Roseland, New Jersey, showcased his prowess in the ring, dropping Salazar three times in the opening round. The final blow came just 2:27 into the scheduled 10-round bout, marking Mielnicki's 11th knockout victory. The 21-year-old fighter, now boasting a record of 16-1, demonstrated remarkable improvement under the guidance of his new trainer, Ronnie Shields.

.@VitoMielnickiJr drops Alexis Salazar 3x, knocking his opponent out in the opening round. #MielnickiJrSalazar

Tune into #BenavidezAndrade @ShowtimeBoxing PPV Prelims now on YouTube: https://t.co/GbWwESBJ17 pic.twitter.com/b0X7qfZN9w

— Premier Boxing Champions (@premierboxing) November 25, 2023

Facing Salazar, who is trained by the legendary Freddie Roach, Mielnicki's strategic jab set the tone early in the match. The first knockdown occurred as a result of a powerful jab, followed by a left hook that left Salazar momentarily stunned. Despite Salazar's resilience in rising to his feet, Mielnicki continued his onslaught, delivering a second knockdown with a precise left hook to the top of Salazar's head.

Vito Mielnicki continued his onslaught, delivering a second knockdown with a precise left hook to the top of Salazar's head.

Struggling to recover from the second knockdown, Salazar succumbed to Mielnicki's relentless attack, ultimately going down for the third and final time. Referee Robert Hoyle promptly halted the contest, securing Mielnicki's victory.

This dominant performance by Mielnicki marks his eighth consecutive win since his upset loss to James Martin in April 2021. Notably, Mielnicki is the first to stop Mexican veteran Jose Sanchez Charles in his previous bout.

The victory adds another chapter to Mielnicki's rising career and underscores the impact of his intensive training, including sparring nearly 100 rounds with unbeaten WBC middleweight champion Jermall Charlo.

It's worth noting that the defeated Salazar, with a record of 25-6 and 10 KOs, had previously only been stopped inside the distance by WBC interim middleweight champion Carlos Adames.