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Orlando Salido said “I still have great abilities” and “I can still fight” in advance of Saturday night’s junior lightweight debut against Terdsak Kokietgym.

Salido, who turns 34 in November, proved prophetic after winning a sensational seven-knockdown thriller over Kokietgym at Auditorio Municipal Fausto Guti├®rrez Moreno in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico.

Salido (42-12-2, 29 knockouts) rose from knockdowns in the first, second and fifth rounds on the way to an 11th-round technical knockout of Kokietgym (53-5-1, 33 KOs).

Kokietgym was dropped in the first, fourth, seventh and final rounds, the last time for good as referee Eddie Claudio waved an end to the bout at the 16-second mark.

Click here for a video of Salido-Kokietgym.

The fight was for the WBO’s interim title belt.

“Salido said he was the strongest physical fighter he has ever fought,” said Sean Gibbons of Zanfer Promotions, who works with Salido. “The knockdowns were flash knockdowns. He was always good when he got up. Also, he said that it is a thrill to now be the 130-pound world champion.”

The triumph comes on the heels of a split-decision over Vasyl Lomachenko in March, this, despite having already lost his WBO title on the scales due to being overweight prior to the fight with Lomachenko.

Last October, Salido had won a featherweight belt for the third time with a seventh round stoppage over Orlando Cruz, regaining the WBO’s vacant 126-pound title.

Kokietgym, 33, was previously in action for a unanimous decision over Rene Bestudio in April, which had represented his seventh straight victory since falling by unanimous decision to Takahiro Ao in April 2012.

Salido aspires to face either WBA titleholder Takashi Uchiyama or WBA beltholder Takashi Miura, ranked Nos. 1 and 4 by THE RING.

“The WBC or WBA champion would be a great style and match up,” said Gibbons. “Also, he loves Puerto Rico and would welcome a fight with [former titleholder] Rocky Martinez.”

RICHARD ABRIL DECISIONS EDIS TATLI

Richard Abril (19-3-1, 8 KOs) retained his WBA lightweight title on Saturday, ending an 18-month ring absence with a unanimous decision over Edis Tatli (23-1, 7 KOs) at The Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, Finland.

Click here for a video of Abril-Tatli

Abril, 32, was coming off a unanimous decision over Sharif Bogere in March 2013 that had followed a split-decision loss to Brandon Rios in April 2012.

Tatli, 27, was coming off an eighth-round technical knockout victory over Antonio De Vitis in May.