Former four-time, two-division world titleholder Orlando Salido was elected as a state deputy in Mexico in Sunday’s election.
Salido won election in Sonora’s state legislature in a district that includes his hometown of Ciudad Obregon. He ran in the same party of Mexico’s president-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
“It’s time to get together and work for the people who really need our help. They need better education, access to good health services and employment alternatives,” said Salido, who was picked to run by party officials in Sonora because of his roots there and popularity. “I was fortunate to have boxing in my life and was able to take that opportunity to better myself and now I want to give back to the community that has supported me throughout my career.”
Salido (44-14-4, 31 KOs), 39, has won world titles as featherweight and junior lightweight and gained popularity in Mexico and the United States for his involvement in a series of thrilling fights, including a draw with then-junior lightweight titleholder Francisco Vargas in the 2016 ESPN fight of the year.
Salido also owns two victories over Juan Manuel Lopez and handed pound-for-pound king Vasiliy Lomachenko his lone defeat.
After his ninth-round knockout loss to Miguel “Mikey” Roman in December, Salido said he was retiring from boxing but then quickly announced he would fight on, though he said he is now on an extended break as he gets his political career off the ground.
Salido said he hopes to emulate Manny Pacquiao, who serves as a senator in the Philippines while also still boxing. Salido wasn’t the only boxer to win elected office in Mexico on Sunday.
Retired legend Erik Morales, the former four-division world titleholder and International Boxing Hall of Famer, was elected to Mexico’s Chamber of Deputies, winning a three-year term for a seat in a district that represents his hometown of Tijuana in Mexico’s equivalent to the United States House of Representatives. Morales won with more than 65 percent of the vote in his first run for office.
“I feel grateful to all Baja California citizens who came out to vote in this historic election,” Morales said. “Today we are celebrating because we will all fight for Mexico!”