MELINDO WILL HAVE A TOUGH FIGHT
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 03 Jun 2008
Sweet-punching Milan Melindo, the reigning WBO Asia Pacific minimum weight champion will have a tough fight when he clashes with Panama ?s Carlos ?Shangai? Melo for the WBA Intercontinental title at the Cebu Coliseum on July 26.
The Melindo-Melo showdown will be one of the featured fights on the WBA super flyweight championship battle between AJ ?Bazooka? Banal and Rafael ?El Torito? Concepcion also of Panama.
The 25 year old Melo who has a record of 18-6 with 2 knockouts lost in a WBA Interim title clash with Japan?s Katsunori Takayama by ninth round technical decision when he suffered a bad cut due to an accidental head-butt on November 7, 2006. In his last fight Melo won a unanimous decision over Edwin Diaz on December 1, 2006.
Melo has been described as a fighter with hand speed and fine footwork and basically an excellent boxer. However, with only two knockouts in 24 fights its clear that Melo doesn?t have too much power.
Melo won the WBA Fedecentro and Fedecaribe titles when he defeated Jose Luis Varela on points in a tenth round technical decision on May 25, 2004 and retained the belt in defenses against Miguel Tellez, Alejandro Fidel Ordonez and Abraham Irias fights.
The Panamanian lost to top-ranked light flyweight Juan Jose Landaeta in a WBA title eliminator on ay 28, 2005 but bounced back to win the vacant WBA Fedelatin title last October, scoring a majority decision over Ronald Barrera. Barrera is the same Colombian fighter who lost to Raul "Rayito" Garcia in an IBF title eliminator. Garcia will meet defending champion Florante Condes of the Philippines on June 14 in La Paz, Mexico.
The undefeated Melindo who has a record of 15-0 with 4 knockouts is himself an excellent boxer who has a variety of punches and throws rapid-fire combinations although he too appears to lack deadly punching power similar to that of IBF minimum weight champion Florante Condes.
Melindo is coming off an impressive unanimous ten round decision over tough Indonesian Sofyan Efendi last March 7.
Melo.
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