FRANCISCO Rosas will have a huge weight advantage over Milan Melindo in their 12-round fight tonight for the vacant World Boxing Organization Inter-Continental flyweight crown at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino in the main event of ?Pinoy Pride 8?Philippines vs. Mexico.?
Rosas, 22-8-2 with 13 knockouts, tipped the scales overweight in yesterday?s weigh-in.
He weighed-in five pounds over the flyweight limit at 117 pounds, while Melindo, 24-0 with eight knockouts, made the weight at 111 pounds in yesterday?s weigh-in at the SM City Cebu Entertainment Center.
ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer, Melindo?s handler, believes the 31-year-old Mexican had no intention of making the weight to have a huge weight advantage on fight night because a win over Melindo, who is rated in all the major boxing sanctioning bodies, would catapult him into the world ratings, possibly paving the way for another shot at a world title.
?Sometimes they play that way. They know that. It?s a psychological war for them,? he said.
Aldeguer said Rosas also tried to deceive the officials in the weigh-in after holding the weighing scale. However, his antics were foiled as one of the officials allegedly saw him holding the scale.
?It?s like you are fighting against a boxer at another weight division. Milan knows what to do and I trust him. Milan has to go through this. This is a huge test for him,? said Aldeguer.
Rosas, a former world title challenger, finally weighed in at 113 ? pounds in his second try. He will be wearing bigger 10-ounce gloves and would give 10 percent of his purse to Melindo as penalty.
On the other hand, Rosbel Montoya (34-4-1, 29 KOs) also weighed-in over the 140 pound limit after tipping the scales at 142 pounds. After a few minutes, he made the weight and will face WBO Youth Asia-Pacific titleholder Jason Pagara (27-1, 16 KOs) in a 10-round title fight.
It will be youth vs. experience as undefeated prospect Genesis Servania (14-0, 5 KOs) is fighting his toughest foe to date: veteran former world title contender Gerson Guerrero (37-8, 29 KOs).
