STORY OF PHILIPPINE BOXING PART XLV: MILAN MELINDO, MULTI-TITLED CHAMPION FROM CDO
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 05 Jun 2020
Milan "El Metodico" Melindo was born on February 29, 1988 in Cagayan de Oro City. His father influenced his love for boxing when he bought him a pair of boxing gloves. It was his father who trained Melindo at a very young age of 6 years.
He was able to finish high school through a scholarship program as a boxer. It was then when he decided to take boxing as a career to answer his family’s financial woes.
He defeated Meljun Grumo in his professional debut on September 17, 2005 in Mandaue City. Then he won by unanimous decision over Juaren Libres, stopped Rodel Emboy by TKO in the 4th round, and won a 5th round technical decision over Ruther del Castillo.
Melindo preserved his unbeaten streak by winning unanimous decision over Jonathan Ricablanca, Michael Rodriguez, Rommel Bongon, Fabio Marfa, and Wendil Cajoles.
He also won by TKO over Ricardo Albia in the 3rd round, Arnel Tadena in the 4th round, and won by technical decision over "Batang Maasin" Alex Aroy.
Melindo won his first title by grabbing the vacant WBO Asia Pacific minimumweight championship belt on October 6, 2007, defeating Nuapayak Sakkreerin alias Pongpan Patanakan Gym of Thailand via technical knockout in the 4th round at the Mindanao Polytechnic State College in Cagayan de Oro City.
The Thai opponent went down two times in the 4th round. The fight was stopped when he was unconscious for several minutes after being hit by a hard KO punch.
Melindo successfully defended the WBO Asia Pacific title in his next fight against Jack Amisa by unanimous decision on December 2, 2007 at the Araneta Coliseum, Cubao, Quezon City.
Then he won over Indonesian Sofyan Effendi by unanimous decision on March 7, 2008 in Mandaue City.
He won the vacant World Boxing Association intercontinental light flyweight title via unanimous decision over Carlos Melo of Panama on July 26, 2008 at the Cebu Coliseum.
Then he successfully defended his WBO Asia Pacific minimumweight title by 3rd round TKO of Tanzanian Juma Fundi in Cagayan de Oro City on October 30, 2008.
On March 14, 2009, Melindo battled Indonesian Muhammad Rachman at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel in Cebu City, Cebu. He preserved his unblemished record by winning via unanimous decision. Prior to that, Rachman lost his IBF world minimumweight title to Florante Condes.
He faced Jose Guadalupe Martinez of Mexico and prevailed by unanimous decision on October 3, 2009 at the Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay City.
On January 14, 2010, Melindo fought Anthony Villareal of California, USA for the World Boxing Council (WBC) youth intercontinental flyweight championship at the Waterfront Hotel, Cebu City. The ALA Gym fighter won by unanimous decision.
Melindo dominated the fight since the opening by knocking down Villareal in the first round with a solid right. The Cagayan de Oro fighter prevailed by a unanimous decision and took the belt.
Melindo was scheduled to fight Devis Perez of Colombia in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. A day before the fight on April 23, 2010, Perez was replaced by Thailand's Komrit Lukkuongmuekol alias Komrit 3K Battery/Eveready Gym, as a last minute replacement of Perez who failed to arrive because the flights in Europe were cancelled due to the Iceland volcanic eruption.
It was Melindo's first bout outside the Philippines and he won by 4th round TKO. Komrit went down twice in the 1st round and once in the 2nd round and 4th round when hit by the Filipino's solid punches. Komrit was also deducted a point in the 3rd round due to an accidental headbutt that caused a cut near Melindo's left eye.
On August 28, 2010, Melindo fought South Korean Jin-Man Jeon at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City and won the bout by knockout in the 2nd round.
On November 27, 2010 he won by unanimous decision over Carlos Tamara of Colombia also at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City.
He annexed successive wins over Mexican Rosendo Vega by 1st round KO, Mexican Francisco Rosas by 10th round TKO for the vacant WBO intercontinental flyweight title, and winning against another Mexican Juan Esquer by 7th round TKO for the title defense all the Waterfront Hotel in Lahug, Cebu City.
Melindo annihilated Colombian Jesus Geles in winning the vacant WBO International flyweight championship by 1st round TKO. Geles was floored three times in the opening round and the fight was stopped by referee Danrex Tapdasan on June 2, 2012 at the Resorts World Hotel in Pasay City.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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