Opponents of Banal and Melindo arrive Friday
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 06 Jan 2010
Boxing fans will be treated to Cebu?s first big fight card for 2010 when Milan ?Melinyo? Melindo will move up in weight to challenge WBC Youth Intercontinental Flyweight Champion Anthony Villareal of the USA in a fight card billed as ?Bakbakan Sa Sinulog!? this January 14 at the Waterfront Hotel. In the main supporting bout, AJ Banal will continue his pursuit of a world crown when he trades mitts with veteran ?Cecilio ?Boga? Santos of Mexico who was a former five time regional champion.
Team Villareal and Team Santos will arrive in Cebu this Friday January 8 at the Mactan Cebu International Airport. They will be presented to the Cebu sports press corps in a press conference the next day.
If Melindo wins, this will be the third regional or intercontinental title he has won in as many divisions. He has previously held the WBO Asia Pacific Minimumweight and WBA Intercontinental Light-flyweight title. The undefeated Melindo has been tagged by local boxing pundits as a possible world champ. He will have to go through the 22 year old Californian known as the ?Baby Assassin? to continue his quest.
Melindo was in a nationally televised fight card last October 2009 in the undercard of the Drian Francisco-Roberto Vasquez WBA international superflyweight title bout. Melindo beat Mexico's Jose Guadalupe Martinez by 10 round unanimous decision in a bruising action packed contest.
Banal won all three of his fights last year, two by knockout. He will test his power against the 31 year old Santos (24 W (KO 14) -L 11 - D 3), who is a 12 year pro and has beaten Luis Melendez by 11 round technical decision in 2007. This is the same Melendez who despite losing on points ended the boxing career of Z Gorres.
Santos won vacant IBA bantamweight title 2006 over Alex Baba. He figured in a 12 round majority draw against then champion Dimitri Kirilov in an IBF superflyweight title bout in 2008.He has lost to world class opposition against Veerapol Sakraporn, Fernando Montiel and Anselmo Moreno.
Two fighters from Thailand will fight up and coming ALA boys James Bacon and Larry ?Bonjovi? Canillas. Bacon (13-1-0,8 KO?s) will fight Thittichon Singwancha (12-3, 2KO ?s) and KO artist Canillas (11-1-0 with 10 KO?s) will face Pet Twin Gym (8-3-1, 6 KO?s).
The boxing event ?Bakbakan Sa Sinulog!? is a joint venture between giant communication SMART Sports and TV5 with ALA Promotions to launch its entry to the sports of professional boxing.
Ticket Prices: VIP 1st row with table @ Php 1,500; VIP 2nd row @ Php 1,250; VIP 3rd row @ Php 1,000; Ringside @ Php 500.00; Ballroom @ Php 300.00 and Balcony @ Php 250.00.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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