MELLIGEN?S TRAINER SAYS ADJAHO IS NOTHING SPECIAL
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 02 Jul 2010
Filipino welterweight prospect Mark Jason Melligen?s trainer Tony Martin told us after a pre-fight press conference in Reno, Nevada on Friday, Manila Time, that Melligen?s opponent was ?normal and nothing special at all? even as he expressed some concern on whether Anges Adjaho would come in as high as 147 pounds since he has been fighting as a lightweight.
The trainer said there was no question that Adjaho was good and had fought in two world title eliminators. He dropped a split decision to Miguel Acosta in a WBA super featherweight title eliminator on October 13, 2007 and lost by a 9th round knockout to Antonio De Marco in a WBC lightweight title eliminator on July 11, 2009. He also had scored an impressive eight round decision over tough Fernando Angulo in February 2009.
Martin noted that Adjaho was ?slick with fast hands but that was at 129 pounds and 135 pounds. Now he is stepping up to 147 pounds and facing a natural welterweight in Melligen who can hit like a tank, with knockout power in both hands.?
Martin described the Reno venue as ?a small venue but a nice venue? and said ?everything went well at the press conference.?
The longtime resident of Cebu City who handles the training of Melligen in Las Vegas following several weeks of preparation at the famed ALA Gym in Cebu said the official weigh-in would take place at 5:00 p.m. Friday in Reno and that he was ?not worried about his (Melligen?s) weight at all.?
He also predicted that by the time Melligen steps into the ring he will weigh around 155 pounds.
Martin said Melligen was ?in good spirits and had no problems at all? and emphasized that he had ?trained well and is focused because he knows what?s ahead. Mark knows he has to put on a good show.?
The 24 year old Melligen has a record of 18-2 with 13 knockouts and is coming off an impressive ten round shutout unanimous decision over Mexico?s Norberto ? Demonio? Gonzalez (18-1, 12 KO?s) at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on Spril 10, 2010.
Melligen was hoping he could avenge a split decision loss to 5?11? Michel Rosales on November 13, 2009 when Melligen, bothered by seeing his close friend Z ?The Dream? Gorres carried out of the ring on a stretcher after a rousing ten round decision over Luis Melendez of Colombia, didn?t have his mind on his fight and lost.
Rosales was supposed to face Melligen in a rematch but pulled out, with Melligen and Martin claiming he was scared to face the hard-hitting Filipino who had sparred with such tremendous fighters as Floyd Mayweather Jr, Marcus Maidana and Devon Alexander in the past.
In preparation for his fight against Adjaho, Martin said Melligen had sparred a total of 60 rounds, most of them with 21 year old Jesses Vargas, a junior welterweight prospect with Floyd Mayweather Promotions who has a record of 11-0 with 6 knockouts and was training for a June 24 bout against veteran Ernesto Zavala (21-4, 9 KO?s) who Vargas knocked out in the 6th round.
Top photo: Trainer Tony Martin (L) with Mark Jason Melligen.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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