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Philippines, 23 Nov 2024 |
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MILAN MELINDO WILL FIGHT FOR HIS MILLION DOLLAR DREAM MILES AWAY FROM HOME PhilBoxing.com Sun, 31 May 2015  Honor, Pride and Glory -- this is what Milan Melindo wanted to achieve tonight in a squared ring thirteen thousand miles away from home. It is what will motivate Melindo when he climbs that ring to make another attempt at a world title which is the International Boxing Federation (IBF) Junior Flyweight belt and currently in the hands of Javier Mendoza (23-2-1, 19 KOs). ?Dignidad at iyong name talaga as a champion, hindi lang regional champion kundi world champion, IBF champion.? Is Melindo?s driving force when the bell rings. (Honor and to be called a champion, not just a regional champion but a world champion, an IBF champion.) In 2013, he had his first chance to be a world champ- he failed. Melindo was knocked down once by WBA and WBC Flyweight (112 pounds) champ, Juan Francisco Estrada, also of Mexico, in Macao, China and he suffered the first loss of his career by a wide margin in the cards. The 27 year-old bounced back with three wins after his defeat to Estrada, culminating in another rare opportunity to vie for boxing gold ? this time at the Junior Flyweight level (108 pounds). Personal acclaim and personal advancement, Melindo knows that these are rewards of having a world title strapped in his waist. ?Importante po na maipanalo ko itong laban na ito, kasi ito din po ay isang susi din para umangat at maging world champion.? (It is important that I win this fight, because this is an opportunity for me to move forward and be a world champion.) It may be a familiar tune but national pride is also one of his reasons on why winning against Mendoza is important. If he is successful in his goals to dethrone the current champ, it is an honor that he would want to share with his country and his family back home in Cagayan de Oro. ?Importante talagang manalo para maipakilala ang bansang Pilipinas sa buong mundo at karangalan din po namin.? (It is really important to win so that I can represent the Philippines to the world and it will also bring honor to my family.) That will not come easy; first he will have to do it in an unfamiliar setting as everyone in the arena will be rooting against him and secondly, he will be facing a champ with an aggressive fighting style and heavy hands. Mendoza has a 73 percent knockout ratio in his career. He is credited with 19 stoppages out of his 23 wins. He is undefeated since 2011 and has won by 9 knockouts against his last 10 opponents. ?Matapang po siya tapos malakas. Kasi nga kita nga sa record niya na madami siyang napatumba. Lagi siyang sugod ng sugod, hindi natatakot, kinakain yung suntok.? was Melindo?s description of the man he will attempt to defeat tonight. (He is brave and strong. You can see in his record that he has knocked down a lot of his opponents. He always comes forward at he is not afraid, he takes his opponent?s punches.) However, Melindo is confident that the hard work, the sweat and the discipline that he has committed in the months before his bout tonight will serve him well against a dangerous opponent in what is also a dangerous endeavor for him. But no glory comes easy, and Milan Melindo knows this ? and he is prepared to take that risk. You can reach the author at rrmaze24@aol.com and @Freemazon910. Click here for a complete listing of columns by this author. Click here for a complete listing of this author's articles from different news sources. |
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