SERVANIA AND MELINDO MEET FORMER CHAMP MANNY MELCHOR
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 01 Feb 2014
ALA boxers Milan Melindo and Genesis Servania together with ALA Gym chief trainer Edito Villamor continued their overseas exposure and training by sparring in Tijuana, Mexico before heading back to San Diego, California. One of the more interesting photos shared by the team was taken at the House of Boxing Training Center with former IBF minimumweight champ Manny Melchor in San Diego.
The more serious Filipino boxing fans will remember Melchor as one of Philippine boxing's Cinderella stories. It was on September 6, 1992 when he beat Fahlan (Lukmingkwan) Sakkreerin in Samut Prakarn, Thailand by split decision. Melchor had a record of 19W-15L-4D when he got his world title shot.
Melchor lost his crown to Ratanapol Sor Vorapin three months later in Bangkok also by split verdict. Melchor retired with a record of 38W-35L-6D, 6 KO's and now makes a living as a trainer in California.
Villamor also lost to Vorapin in his first attempt at a world title by 7th round TKO in 1993. Both Melchor and Villamor also lost to Mexican boxing great Ricardo Lopez. Melchor was stopped in 11 rounds in his attempt to wrest the WBC strawweight title from Lopez in 1993 while Villamor lost to Lopez by 8th round knockout in 1996 in what would be Edito's final bout. Villamor's work as a trainer has produced two world champs at the ALA gym.
Servania also got to spar with Rolly Lunas at the House of Boxing. Lunas, has previously held the OPBF superbantamweight and bantamweight titles and campaigned in Japan as Rolly Matsushita. Melindo currently holds the WBO International flyweight title while Servania has the WBO Intercontinental superbantamweight title.
Photo (L-R): Servania, Melchor and Melindo in San Diego.
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