MILAN Melindo?s hopes for a world title shot have been dashed anew after his planned foe for an International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight title eliminator turned him down.
Unbeaten Australian Fred Mundraby, who was offered by the IBF to face Melindo for the No.1 flyweight spot, said no. The fight was supposed to be included in ?Pinoy Pride 4? on March 19 at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino.
?We don?t really know why they turned it down. We lack time to finalize the negotiations with a new opponent for the IBF eliminator and have to finalize everything with ABS-CBN next week,? ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer told Sun.Star Cebu.
Aldeguer will be meeting with ABS-CBN chairman Gabby Lopez and vice-president Peter Musngi next week in Las Vegas after the Nonito Donaire vs. Fernando Montiel world title bout.
This isn?t the first time that a proposed opponent for Melindo for the IBF eliminator refused to face the unbeaten stylist. The IBF also contacted Filipino Ritchie Mepranum, Italian Andrea Sarritzu, American Rayonta Whitfield and Mexican Francisco Marquez but all turned down the opportunity to face the 22-year-old fighter who is undefeated in 23 fights.
?It will depend on the IBF but we are hoping Milan will be offered (an eliminator bout) again, but if not we will stick to our original plan for Milan to fight tough opponents to prepare him in case an opportunity to fight for a title comes,? said Aldeguer.
Melindo will still headline the fourth installment of ?Pinoy Pride? boxing series but it won?t be for a title eliminator.
?We are not in a hurry as Milan is still young,? said Aldeguer. ?We were not really focused on the eliminator until it was offered to us. What we wanted was to fight tough opponents to prepare him like when he fought (Carlos) Tamara.?
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on February 14, 2011.
