CARLOS Tamara?s team believes that Milan Melindo made a mistake by taking on the former world champion and Olympian. However, Melindo made it clear that?s not the case and believes his fight against the 27-year-old Colombian will be short.
?Don?t say it. Just do it,? Melindo said of Team Tamara?s prediction of a win this Saturday night of their 10-round fightat the Waterfront Hotel and Casino. ?I?m a counter puncher. So let?s just see in the ring. I estimate (the fight will just last) five rounds.?
Melindo, 22-0 with seven knockouts, has improved his power significantly in his past few fights, winning his last two bouts by knockout. He stopped Komrit Twinsgym in the fourth and Jin Man Jeon in the second.
However, knocking out Tamara will be an uphill battle because the former International Boxing Federation light flyweight champion has never been knocked out. He has faced two of the hardest hitters in the 108-pound category, Brian Viloria and Giovani Segura, but both failed to stop him.
?It is one of the most important fights for me because I haven?t seen my two daughters for almost a year,? Tamara said through interpreter and trainer Edgar Sanchez. ?This fight means the world to me considering the setback that happened to me.?
Tamara lost his IBF crown in his first title defense against Luis Alberto Lazarte by split decision. Sanchez said Tamara had difficulty making the 108-pound limit, which was a factor in the loss. But in his new weight division, the New Jersey-based trainer believes his ward will become a world champion.
Meanwhile, Oriental Boxing Federation flyweight titlist Rocky Fuentes is excited to fight in his hometown after not seeing action in Cebu City for almost a year because of a successful stint in Japan.
Fuentes is putting his OPBF title on the line against Thai Inthanon Sithchamuang.
?I feel great as a champion. I will try my best to improve my rating so that I will be able to fight for a world title,? said the optimistic 24-year-old Cebuano.
?Pinoy Power 2: Best of the Best? boxing extravaganza also includes exciting bouts between former world titleholder Florante Condes and Japanese Kenichi Horikawa, the returning Randy Suico against former Manny Pacquiao sparmate Arnel Tinampay and Dodie Boy Pe?alosa against fellow newcomer Jomar Torreon.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on November 26, 2010.
