GORRES TKO LEYVA IN 7TH, MELINDO DEFEATS RACHMAN BY UD AT WATERFRONT
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 14 Mar 2009
Cebu City -- Filipino contenders Z 'The Dream' Gorres and Milan 'Melinyo' Melindo won their fights against former world champions here tonight at the Waterfront Hotel.
Gorres, fighting for the first time as a bantamweight, landed a barrage of clean shots all night to the slower Roberto Carlos Leyva of Mexico but failed to put away the game Mexican until finally Leyva's corner threw in the towel in the 7th round to stop the punishment. Gorres captured the vacant WBO Oriental Bantamweight belt.
After the fight, Gorres said he feels comfortable as a bantamweight and is now hoping to eventually have a return bout with former world champion Fernando Montiel of Mexico.
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"That's what we are aiming for," ALA Promotions President Michael Aldeguer said. "If Gorres rises in the WBO ratings because of his win tonight, we hope to eventually face Montiel later this year or early next year."
Meanwhile, Milan Melindo prevailed over former IBF kingpin Muhammad Rachman by outboxing the 37-year-old Indonesian who in his heyday was considered one of the finest boxers in the region.
The younger Melindo shut out Rachman in the first three rounds when Rachman was feeling out Melindo's capability. Rachman however came back strong in the 5th and 6th rounds by digging to the body of Melindo that apparently slowed down the ALA Gym stalwart. Melindo however fought it out in the remaining rounds tagging Rachman with effective combinations to earn a unanimous decision and Rachman's respect who said before the fight that he was treating the bout as a tune-up.
In other bouts, comebacking Michael Domingo won by unanimous decision over Monico Laurente.
In a grudge rematch, James Bacon got his revenge over William George by earning a hard-fought unanimous decision win. Bacon sent George to the canvas in the first round but the durable George fought his way back to finish the fight and gave some anxious moments on the younger Bacon.
Top photo: Z Gorres (R) tags Mako Leyva with a hard left in the bit of action from thier WBO Oriental Title fight this evening at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City. Photo by Dong Secuya.
Milan Melindo (L) tangles with former world champion Muhammad Rachman of Indonesia tonight at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City. Melindo won by unanimous decision. Photo by Dong Secuya.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dong Secuya.
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