Photo by Ezra Shaw / Getty Images

Orlando Salido put on a brutal pressure-fighting body-punching clinic during his rematch against Ramon Martinez on the Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Andre Berto undercard on Saturday at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, but the two-division titleholder from Mexico had to settle for a split draw after 12 thrilling rounds.

Salido (42-13-3, 29 knockdowns), who appeared to get the better of Martinez in the majority of rounds, won by a score of 115-113. Martinez (29-2-3, 17 KOs) won by a 115-113 tally. The third judge scored it even, 114-114. Showtime’s commentators and most observers on Twitter thought Salido did more than enough to earn the decision.

After a shaky start that included traded knockdowns in Round 3, Salido, who dropped a unanimous decision to Martinez in Puerto Rico in April, got into his relentless, grinding roughhouse groove by Round 5 and proceeded to set the pace for the rest of the fight, outworking and out-landing his Puerto Rican rival.

“I did all the work and I thought I won the fight,” Salido said during his post-fight interview. “I threw more punches. I should have won it.”

Martinez, who retained the WBO’s 130-pound title (his third reign with that particular belt) disagreed, of course. Martinez’s speed, power and technique gradually fell off as Salido imposed his punishing style on him, but the 32-year-old native of Vega Baja, Puerto Rico never gave in, and stood his ground during exciting exchanges during the final rounds of the bout.

With both fights being Fight of the Year candidates and controversy marring the rematch, a rubbermatch between the two warriors is expected.