MELINDO DREAMS OF UNIFYING THE LIGHT FLYWEIGHT DIVISION AND FIGHTING IN THE OLYMPICS
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Melindo.
IBF light flyweight champion Milan Melindo is scheduled to have his first defense on September 16 against former strawweight titlist Hector "Hekkie" Budler at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino in Cebu City. Melindo won his belt with a magnificent first round conquer of former three division champ Akira Yaegashi in last May at the Ariake Colosseum in Tokyo, Japan. The Filipino challenger floored the veteran champ three times en route to a TKO win before thousands of astonished and dismayed Japanese fans at the Tokyo arena.
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?It was a huge win in Tokyo against a respected three-division world champion in Yaegashi. Milan executed the game plan to perfection but it was such a surprise he was able to knock the champ out in the first round as Yaegashi is known to be one of the most durable champions,? said Michael Aldeguer, President of ALA Boxing Promotions.
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As a voluntary defense against any of the top 15 contenders by the IBF at the light flyweight category, Melindo chose number sixth rated Budler. The South African is a veteran of world title fights. He won the vacant IBO minimumweigh title with a unanimous decision win over Filipino Michael Landero. He then won the vacant WBA minimumweight title with a first-round knockout win over Karluis Diaz.
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He held the titles until March 2016 when he was defeated by Byron Rojas via unanimous decision. Rojas moved up to the light flyweight class to try to win another belt. Budler claimed the vacant IBO title this past February against another Filipino Joey Canoy in his native South Africa. His other Filipino victims include Florante Condes, Renato Rubillar, Renan Trongco
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Melindo wants to unify the 108-pound division and represent the Philippines in the Olympics and he hopes to achieve these dreams before his career ends. ?Manny Pacquiao is known for winning world titles in eight divisions. Donnie Nietes for being the longest reigning Filipino world champion. I want to get all the belts in one division,? said Milan Melindo as quoted by SunStar Cebu.
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To become undisputed champion, he has to beat the three other world champions in the light flyweight division who are World Boxing Council (WBC) title holder Ken Shiro, World Boxing Association (WBA) king Ryoichi Taguchi and World Boxing Organization (WBO) champion Kosei Tanaka.
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It was Melindo?s ambition to represent country in the Olympics. ?It has also been my dream to become an Olympian,? he said. With the AIBA?s new policy of giving pro boxers a chance to fight in the Olympics, his childhood dream has a chance to be realized. ?I started to box when I was six or seven. I have been in the amateurs so I believe I won?t have a hard time. I know the weaknesses of the amateurs,? said El Metodico. Melindo, 29, will be at the peak of his career come 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan if he qualifies for the Olympics.
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?Hekkie Budler is a brawler. He likes to come in but he also has a tendency run. I have to be patient. I?m a methodical fighter and I have to think a step ahead of him,? Melindo added. ?If he keeps on coming in, then there?s a huge chance that he will go down.?
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Eddy Reynoso, Canelo Alvarez's trainer has this to say regarding the fight with Gennady Golovkin: "This fight is huge for Mexico. There hasn't been a fight like this since Pacquaio vs. Marquez that has peaked such interest." When asked about Gennady's "Mexican Style" he commented: "It makes me proud that foreign boxers would choose to emulate our Mexican boxing style. It's proof of importance."
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Reynoso said both boxers' styles when they collide could give a much needed boost to pro boxing. "Canelo and Gennady's boxing styles will certainly test each other, and this is the type of fight that can result in a trilogy. This fight will bring boxing the credibility it once had in the past. The boxer that makes the best adjustments is the one that will win the fight," he was quoted by boxingscene.com. "We are working hard in the gym. We know Golovkin is a strong boxer, but Saul is a better boxer, and his time is now."
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Southeast Asian Games 2017
Final Medal Tally
Gold-Silver-Bronze-Total
Malaysia 145 - 92 - 86 = 323
Thailand 72 - 86 - 88 = 246
Vietnam 58 - 50 - 60 = 168
Singapore 57 - 58 - 73 = 188
Indonesia 38 - 63 - 90 = 191
Philippines 24 - 33 - 64 = 121
Myanmar 7 - 10 - 20 = 37
Cambodia 3 - 2 - 12 = 17
Lao 2 - 3 - 21 = 26
Brunei 0 - 5 - 9 = 14
Timor Liste 0 - 0 - 3 =3
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Less than half of the 50 gold medals promised by national sports associations of the Philipines were realized. The Philippines managed to win only 24 gold medals which way below the delegation's target, and less than the 29 golds that the Filipino athletes garnered in Singapore in 2015 and Myanmar in 2013. The Philippines have won the fewest gold medals since the 1999 SEA Games in Brunei when only 233 gold medals from 21 sports were contested.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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