MELINDO WAITS FOR HIS CHANCE AT GREATNESS
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 13 Sep 2012
He doesn?t do anything spectacular but he does a lot of things very well. That was my initial assessment of Milan Melindo way back in 2005, his first year as a pro. Three years later, when he beat Carlos Melo of Panama at the Cebu Coliseum, fans and sportswriters tagged him as someone who was ?very good?.
But it was during his fight against former IBF minimumweight champion Muhamad Rachman in 2009 that Melindo demonstrated that he was special. Against someone who had fifty-six more fights, Melindo showed his ability to adjust, out think and outfight.
Of all the world ranked Filipino contenders, Melindo is the one who has the best preparation while waiting for a world title shot. He has faced boxers from almost every continent and has been exposed to different fighting styles and former champions. After 27 fights, he has remained unbeaten.
Melindo, who is the WBO number one contender, is one of the more articulate and knowledgeable boxers in the Philippines. It doesn?t take much effort from sportswriters to make him talk and regularly explain how he manages to break down his opponents.
Most Filipinos reject trash talking. The majority say it not in our culture. But Melindo has often come up with witty one-liners during press conferences when sports scribes goad him to do so.
His memorable quote so far was before his fight against former IBF lt.flyweight champion Carlos Tamara. Melindo said that the Colombian was ?just an ordinary boxer.? Melindo did not say it in an arrogant manner. He said like it was just a simple fact. Melindo walked the walk and gave a superb boxing lesson.
It was the kind of methodical dissection that fans have learned to expect and opponents grudgingly respect. It also gave birth to his present moniker ?El Metodico?.
The 24 year old Melindo is set to defend his WBO International flyweight title against Jean Piero Perez (19W-4L-1D, 14 KO?s) of Venezuela this September 22 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel. But he also has bigger things on his mind. He has set his sights on the winner of the unification bout between WBO flyweight champion Brian Viloria and WBA champion Hernan Marquez. Melindo will give you a confident smile and nod if you ask him if he can beat either fighter.
"I also would like to fight IBF champ Moruti Mthalane,? Melindo told this writer in an informal gathering with Cebu sportswriters Wednesday evening. ?I know many are afraid of him because he gave Nonito Donaire a hard time. That?s why I look at him as a challenge.?
Melindo, who hails from Cagayan de Oro City, was learning how to box when most children his age were still learning the alphabet. But after being an amateur boxer for a decade, he was not called to join the national team in international events. A missed opportunity, if you look at the way his skills have progressed and how our national teams have performed dismally at the Olympics.
Melindo is using his earnings to help his relatives go to school. ?Once they graduate and find work, they can pass it forward and help other relatives finish school.? He said.
?If I went to college, I would have wanted to learn more about the sciences and mathematics.? Melindo said, ?For practical application, I would have taken up accounting.?
That would explain his quick calculations inside the ring. He talked about making adjustments even when he fought tough brawlers like Jose Guadalupe Martinez of Mexico, who Melindo still remembers for his intense pressure and landing a hard shot to his ribs.
Melindo?s influences as a boxer include Juan Manuel Marquez, Gerry Pe?alosa and Oscar dela Hoya. Melindo has always made it a point to just fight his fight and not get rattled even against slick movers like Anthony Villareal of the U.S.
With the postponement of the Viloria vs Marquez fight to November, Melindo will have to continue waiting. He will also have to take care of the business at hand against Perez.
(File photo - Melindo pummels the face of Jin-man Jeon of South Korea
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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