MELINDO, BANAL SCORE SPECTACULAR KNOCKOUTS
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 21 Mar 2011
World rated and undefeated flyweight Milan ?Methodico? Melindo and WBO Asia Pacific bantamweight champion AJ ?Bazooka? Banal scored spectacular knockout victories against touted opponents before a huge crowd at the Pacific Ballroom of the Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Cebu City on Saturday.
The ?Pinoy Pride 4? blockbuster card was dedicated by ALA Promotions to the memory of the late WBC founding secretary general Rudy Salud who passed away some two weeks ago. One of the fighters Salud co-managed with boxing patron Tony Aldeguer, Z ?The Dream? Gorres, gallantly entered the ring despite his handicap caused by brain surgery to dedicate the fight to the quintessential Filipino sportsman as the bell tolled the customary ten count.
Top photo: Melindo throws an uppercut against Vega.
Banal (L) looks for an opening against Miyeyusho.
Claggett (R) connects with a left against Jakosalem.
Fuentes exchanges punches with Gobel.
Yap (L) throws a left uppercut against Yamaguchi.
The southpaw Banal who is ranked No. 4 by the WBA and NBo. 6 by the WBO dropped Tanzania?s super flyweight champion Francis Miyeyusho three times in the second round en route to a knockout at 2:02 seconds.
Banal sized up the taller Miyeyusho , also a southpaw, in round one which the African won with some nifty right straights and long range combinations. But the promising 22 year old Filipino with a record of 23-1-1 including 18 knockouts soon figured out what to do as he ducked under the jab of Miyeyusho and ripped him with vicious shots to the body and head in round two.
Banal nailed Miyeyusho with a left right combination to drop him for the first time early in the round and then sent the African down for the second time with a cracking right hook . Although Miyeyusho gamely beat the count Banal caught him with another vicious right hook to end the Tanzanian?s misery as referee Danrex Tapdasan counted him out.
While Banal was explosive, Melindo was skilful and methodical against Mexico?s Rosendo Vega who had promised to rough up Melindo and then knock him out during a pre-fight press conference.
The undefeated Melindo who entered the ring with a record of 23-0 with 7 knockouts demonstrated his new-found power and explosiveness which has been attributed largely to the tough regimen of strength and conditioning coach Pio Solon when he dropped Vega on the seat of his pants with a perfectly timed right uppercut.
Vega, a typical Mexican warrior who had gone ten rounds with WBA champion Daiki Kameda tried to fight back aggressively and paid the price as Melindo dropped him for the second time to be counted out by referee Bruce McTavish at 2:59 of the opening round.
Melindo who is ranked No. 3 by the IBF is in line for a title shot at reigning flyweight champion Moruti Mthalane of South Africa should Mthalane win in his scheduled title defense against another Filipino, Johnreil Casimero on March 26 .
In an action-packed bout that had fight fans cheering wildly undefeated Canadian Steve Claggett (11-0-1, 6 KO?s) , a fighter with rock-star looks, appeared well on the way to making an impressive Philippine debut when he dropped rugged Romeo Jakosalem twice in round three with some vicious body shots.
But the menacing-looking Jakosalem fought back furiously to cut and bloody Claggett in round four forcing the ring doctor to take a look at the WBC Youth Intercontinental light welterweight champion before allowing the fight to continue.
That appeared to be the turning point in the fight as Claggett, an aggressive fighter who never stopped coming forward got caught by some solid combinations that rocked him before a flurry of unanswered punches in round eight forced referee Teddy Alivio to call a halt.
The Canadian?s handlers protested the stoppage but only mildly and when staggered almost stumbled and had to be helped out of the ring and given oxygen it was clear that the referee made the right decision. Claggett was bitterly disappointed and indications are a rematch which fight fans would like to see, may be on the cards in the future.
In other bouts Japan's Kenichi Yamaguchi scored a somewhat controversial eight round decision over Marjohn Yap who appeared to connect with the cleaner and more telling punches while Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation flyweight champion Ricky Fuentes scored an eight round shutout over Indonesia's Jemmy Gobel in a fight where the Indonesian was repeatedly warned for holding.
Referee Tony Pesons in frustration at the tactics of Gobel deducted a point in round three and another in round six for an illegal takedown.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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