ALA GYM stars Z ?The Dream? Gorres and Milan ?Milenyo? Melindo are up for overwhelming tasks when they fight with former world champions in the ?Judgment at the Waterfront? fight card on March 14 at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino.
In his debut as a bantamweight, Gorres (28-2-2, 15 KO?s) will clash with former International Boxing Federation (IBF) minimum weight titleholder Roberto Carlos ?Mako? Leyva (25-8-1, 20 KO?s) of Mexico for the vacant World Boxing Organization Oriental bantamweight crown.
Leyva has fought some of the best names in the lower weight categories like current world champions Ivan Calderon and Edgar Sosa and former world titlists Miguel Barrera, Ivan Hernandez, and Daniel Reyes.
Gorres? trainer Edito Villamor isn?t looking past Leyva even if his record had been tainted with a handful of losses. Villamor believes the 29-year-old Mexican warrior can still score an upset on his ward.
?He is a tough fighter. He is a type of fighter that can cause an upset,? said Villamor in press conference announcing the boxing event yesterday at the Sugbahan restaurant.
Comfortable
Gorres has moved up a division higher and is now at ease in his new weight category. After this fight, he will be looking for bigger fights in the US where he will be making a name for himself in the international boxing scene.
?He outgrew the 115 (division). It drained him a lot. He is now stronger at 118 and much comfortable at his new weight,? said ALA Promotions President Michael Aldeguer. ?After this fight, Z will have to campaign in the States. All Z needs is exposure in the States.?
Big names like Fernando Montiel and Vic Darchinyan are also moving up to the bantamweight division and Gorres wants to have a rematch with the three-belted Armenian world champion who he drew last February here.
?I will fight anybody, but I want Darchinyan. He has a big chance of being defeated by me because of his style. I?m confident I can defeat him,? said Gorres.
Big risk
On the other hand, the undefeated Melindo (17-0, 5 KO?s) will battle experienced ex-IBF king Muhammad Rachman (62-6-5, 31 KO?s) in a 10-round exhibition.
Aldeguer said that pitting Melindo against Rachman is a risk, but a win could be his stepping stone to bigger fights.
Aldeguer believes that even at 37, Rachman should not be taken lightly because he is a former champion. In the past months, some older fighters, in the twilight of their careers, upset younger fighters like Shane Mosley and Bernard Hopkins who defeated Antonio Margarito and Kelly Pavlik, respectively.
?People are trying to defy age right now, like Hopkins and Mosley,? said Aldeguer. ?You can?t question the heart of a world champion because they always find ways to win fights,? added the young Cebuano promoter.
Back on canvas
ALA warrior Michael Domingo will have his comeback fight after being diagnosed with Hepatitis B.
He will clash with Elorde Stable?s Monico Laurente. After his match here in Cebu, ALA Promotions will be sending the 29-year-old Domingo to look for bigger fights in the US.
?After this fight, we?ll be bringing him back to the US to campaign there, and hopefully fight for a world title,? said Aldeguer. Young ALA Gym talent James Bacon will try to avenge his single professional boxing career loss against William Jorge in a rematch.
In the undercard, Joseph Von Mi?oza will fight Rufino Mante, Marjohn Makahilig will be confronting Marlon Ariesga, Ricardo Campana will face Jherpol Valero and Jomar Cordinillo will trade leathers with Ricky Nu?ez.
