MELINDO IN FOR A ROUGH NIGHT?
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 12 Jan 2010
Milan Melindo will move up a couple of divisions heavier when he challenges the ?Baby Assassin? Anthony Villareal of California for the WBC Youth Intercontinental Flyweight title this Thursday January 14.
The 22 year old Villareal (9 W ? 2 L, 4 KO?s) is a slick boxer and will obviously exploit his two inch height advantage and his longer reach. During his public workout at the ALA gym he gave us a glimpse of his hand speed and combination punching when he hit the punch mitts.
His trainer, Alberto Franco has vowed that ?We?ll bring a style that Melindo hasn?t faced yet.?
An internet search on Villareal yielded an article by Bill Scherer posted in the website proboxing.suite101.com last 2008 which described Villareal?s style as reminiscent of a young Zab Judah.
Villareal won the vacant Youth title with a split decision over Manuel Roman of Mexico last April 2009. Unlike other visiting boxers, he arrived six days before the scheduled bout in order to acclimatize to the difference in weather and time zone.
Melindo, who hails from Cagayan de Oro, figured in two nationally televised fight cards last year. In March he scored his biggest career win with a ten round unanimous decision over former IBF mini-flyweight champ Muhammad Rachman of Indonesia at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City. This win catapulted Melindo high up the rankings of various sanctioning bodies and served notice that he is the real thing.
In October 2009, he showed the ability to wage technical attrition and beat Mexico's Jose Guadalupe Martinez by 10 round unanimous decision in a bruising action packed contest in the undercard of the Drian Francisco-Roberto Vasquez WBA international superflyweight title bout held in Pasay City.
Melindo (19W- 0 L with 5 KO?s) is also ranked number five among the top 105 lb. boxers in the world by Ring magazine.
But Melindo has not scored a knockout since October 2008 when he scored a third round TKO win over Juma Fundi of Tanzania. His skill as a ring tactician will be tested in this fight. Melindo may not blow away his opponents out of the ring but makes it a point to teach them a boxing lesson. This time, he will also have to overcome his opponent?s physical advantages.
UNDERCARD BOUTS
The co-main event will be AJ ?Bazooka? Banal against tough Mexican veteran Cecilio ?Boga? Santos. ALA gym rising prospect James Bacon (13-1-0,8 KO?s) will fight Thailand?s Thittichon Singwancha (12-3, 2KO ?s) and Larry ?Bonjovi? Canillas (11-1-0 with 10 KO?s) will face Pet Twin Gym (8-3-1, 6 KO?s) also from Thailand.
Bacon last fought in November 2009 in Iloilo City winning by 10 round unanimous decision over Victor Manon. Canillas has stopped his last three opponents, all in less than three rounds.
For the preliminary bouts, Jojo Intor will fight Romnick Hoybia in a four round contest and Jonel Gadapan will fight Jayson Inso in another four rounder. Four members of the amateur boxing training pool will also be showcased in this fight card billed as ?Bakbakan sa Sinulog?.
Top header photo: Milan Melindo. Bottom photo: Anthony Villareal getting his feet taped prior to his public workout)
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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