PINOY PRIDE XI: PHILIPPINES SWEEP THE WORLD
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 29 Jan 2012
Cebu City ? Milan ?Metodico? Melindo initiated the action with a busy left hand, landing with jabs, hooks and uppercuts. Juan ?Panterita? Esquer countered with left hooks but Melindo blocked them and punished the Mexican with hooks to the body and head. In the third, the fighters traded bombs at ring center and Esquer kept on the pressure but he also was a sucker for Melindo's jab.
In the 5th, Esquer was hit by a borderline low blow and was given the mandatory rest period. Esquer's actions were interpreted by the crowd as play acting and was subsequently jeered.
In the sixth, a clash of heads inflicted a small cut on Melindo. Milan was completely dominating the action at this point, he was well ahead and landing at will. In a bizarre seventh round, Esquer fired a low blow at Melindo and as Referee Atty.Danrex Tapdasan tried to separate them, it was Esquer who fell down.
As the boos reverberated around the Pacific Ballroom of the Waterfront Hotel, the Mexican corner signaled that their boxer will not continue fighting. Referee Tapdasan waived off the fight at the 2:16 mark and declared Melindo winner by TKO and still WBO Intercontinental flyweight champion.
Referee Tapdasan considered Esquer's acting as unsportsmanlike but the Mexican corner made things academic by capitulating. It was a brilliant boxing display once again by Melindo as he nears a world title shot.
Melindo (L) connects with a left uppercut on Esquer.
Melindo wins by 7th round TKO.
Lorenzo Villanueva walks toward the neutral corner after downing Diego Ledesma of Mexico for the second time in the first round.
THUNDERSTRUCK
Lorenzo ?Thunderbolt? Villanueva fired a left straight that sent Diego ?Tyson? Ledesma down and dazed in the opening round. Another series of lefts and rights sent the Mexican down and Referee Tony Pesons counted him out at the 1:17 of round one.
Mhar Jhun ?Astig? Macahilig used brutal rib rattling shots and a vicious liver shot to knockout Kaichon Sor Vorapin in the second round. Referee Teddy Alivio counted the Thailander out at the 2:01 mark.
Merlito ?Tiger? Sabillo engaged Sofyan ?Cobra? Effendi close quarter combat for eight rounds. Sabillo had the edge in the volume department all throughout. But Effendi managed to buckle Sabillo's legs in the 4th but Effendi could not finish him. Sabillo bouned back in the 5th and hurt Effendi.
The scores read 78-74 for all three judges for Sabillo.
Joseph Von Minoza gave Yoo Shin Kim of Korea a one-sided beating for eight rounds. Minoza threw everything he had but Kim hung tough. The scores of the three judges were 79-73 for Minoza.
The five main bouts gave the Philippines the world trophy in an impressive performance.
Preliminaries:
Kazuya Harada of Japan beat Alvin Arresgado of Siquijor by majority decision.Scores ? 39-37, 40-38 and 38-38.
The clown prince of Cebu boxing Jun ?Flash? Intor beat Crispin Parba again by majority decision. The scores 39-37, 37-34 and 38-38.
Mark Acub knocked out Samuel Galinato in the first round. Brutal rib shots sent Galinato down twice and the referee reached the ten count at the 2:53 mark.
Jicky Gaco beat Ivor Lastrilla by technical decision. The bout was stopped in the third as a clash of heads inflicted a cut and a hematoma on Lastrilla's right eyebrow with Gaco ahead on points.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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