Philippines, 16 Jul 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


MELINDO DEEP IN TRAINING IN LA FOR HIS TITLE FIGHT AGAINST JAVIER MENDOZA; FIGHT POSTPONED TO MAY 30 IN ANOTHER VENUE IN MEXICO


PhilBoxing.com




LOS ANGELES ? Filipino contender Milan '?l Metodico' Melindo is currently in deep training in Los Angeles in preparation for his title fight against IBF light flyweight champion Javier 'Cobra' Mendoza of Mexico. However, the original May 9 date was pushed back to May 30 due to the conflict of TV broadcasting by TV Azteca, the Mexican TV outfit which was also set to broadcast the bigger Canelo Alvarez vs James Kirkland 12-round super welterweight bout scheduled in Houston, Texas on May 9. Additionally, the original venue of the Mendoza-Melindo tussle at Auditorio Municipal Fausto Gutierrez Moreno in Tijuana has also been changed to Otomi in Temoaya, a Mexican town 85 kilometers northwest of Mexico City.

?Looks like we're going to stay here a bit longer,? Edito Villamor, Melindo's trainer, told Philboxing Wednesday morning as he watched his ward do eight rounds of sparring at Roach's Wildcard Gym in Hollywood. Melindo, Villamor and assistant trainer Alex Consigna have been staying in Los Angeles for almost a month now after the trio left Manila right after the Nietes-Parra fight on March 28. ?But no worries, because Melindo is in superb condition and is highly motivated,? Villamor said.


Melindo hits the speed ball Wednesday at the Wildcard Gym in Hollywood.


Melindo spars with Carlos Licona.


Melindo spars with the much bigger Ryota Kihara.


Melindo (C) with trainer Edito Villamor (R) and assistant trainer Alex Cosigna (L).

Photos by Dong Secuya.

Melindo (32-1-0, 12KO), who failed in his first bid for a world title against Mexican elite Juan Francisco Estrada, is on paper the more experienced fighter and faced better opponents compared to Mendoza (23-2-1, 19KO) whose only bragging right was his victory against the declining former world champion Ramon Garcia Hirales when they fought for the vacant IBF flyweight title in September last year.

?But I'm not over-confident,? Melindo said, perhaps drawing lessons from his loss to Estrada where he came in short of bragging that the title was already in the bag going into the fight. ?I was too confident on that fight. Sometimes too much confidence is good and sometimes it's not,? Melindo said.

Mendoza is a pressure fighter with a strong left hand that shows on his record of 19 knockouts in 23 victories, a style, that according to Melindo is more suited to his counter-punching style. ?I like this fight because if my opponent keeps running away from me, I will be forced to take the offensive stance to make the fight exciting otherwise the audience will get bored. But if my opponent comes to me, that's what I like because I can then throw my combinations,? Melindo said.

Melindo has already logged in more than 50 rounds of sparring in their more than three weeks of stay here to anyone who is close to Melindo's size, a practice that according to Villamor, gets out the best of Melindo. Today, Melindo sparred with junior flyweight Mexican Carlos Licona for five rounds and with Japanese bantamweight Ryota Kihara for three rounds.

?When we spar in the Philippines, sometimes our boxers get complacent because they are sparring with boxers they already knew for a long time,? Villamor said. ?But here every time Milan faces a new sparring partner, it always gets the best out of him, and it improves him a lot.?

Augurs well for Melindo with more tough fights ahead of him.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dong Secuya.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 14 JULY 2025: Katie Taylor Makes 3-0 Over Amanda Serrano; Baumgardner Defeats Miranda; Stevenson Outclasses Zepeda; Sheeraz Stops Berlanga
    By Eric Armit, , Tue, 15 Jul 2025
  • Champion Forever: A Century On, ‘The City By The Bay’ Honors Francisco Guilledo
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Tue, 15 Jul 2025
  • Philippines Shuts Out South Korea, 7-0, in WBSC Women’s Softball Asia Cup
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 15 Jul 2025
  • Manny ready for Barrios
    By Joaquin Henson, , Tue, 15 Jul 2025
  • Don King Productions Rejects Jake Paul's Demand for Mikaelian Step-Aside, Citing WBC Ranking Rules
    By Dong Secuya, , Tue, 15 Jul 2025
  • Argentinian former world champion "Locomotora" Oliveras Suffers Stroke
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Tue, 15 Jul 2025
  • GM Antonio to compete in Taiwan chessfest
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 15 Jul 2025
  • PACQUIAO-BARRIOS FIGHT WEEK IS HERE
    , Tue, 15 Jul 2025
  • Unbeaten Prospect Alex Bray to Face Lesther Espino July 18, Live on DAZN
    , Tue, 15 Jul 2025
  • Philippine Blu Girls Crush Thailand in Explosive Start to Women’s Softball Asia Cup 2025
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 15 Jul 2025
  • Manny motors to Vegas
    By Joaquin Henson, , Mon, 14 Jul 2025
  • Bakbakan sa Elorde on July 19
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Mon, 14 Jul 2025
  • Ringside, Still: Remembering Chino Trinidad
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Sun, 13 Jul 2025
  • Hamzah Sheeraz Demolishes Edgar Berlanga in Stunner, Becomes Mandatory Challenger to Canelo Alvarez
    By Dong Secuya, , Sun, 13 Jul 2025
  • Shakur Stevenson Masterfully Tames William Zepeda to Retain WBC Lightweight Crown
    By Dong Secuya, , Sun, 13 Jul 2025
  • JV Tuazon, Ador Torres, Lemuel De Barbo, Jomar Fajardo Score KO Wins in Brico Santig's Highland Show in Thailand
    By Carlos Costa, , Sun, 13 Jul 2025
  • Yanon is PBF flyweight champ
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sun, 13 Jul 2025
  • Taylor vs. Serrano Trilogy: Can Amanda Get The Nod?
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 12 Jul 2025
  • BERLANGA-SHEERAZ, STEVENSON-CEPEDA, MORELL-KHATAEV MAKE WEIGHT IN NEW YORK
    By Dong Secuya, , Sat, 12 Jul 2025
  • Johnny Spell Takes on Chancellor Batttenberg on Saturday, July 19th at the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows in Washington, PA
    , Sat, 12 Jul 2025
  • JV Tuazon, Ador Torres, Lemuel De Barbo, Jomar Fajardo Make Weight for Brico Santig's Highland Show in Thailand
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Philippine Under-12 Girls Team Shines Bright, Clinches Multiple Medals at 23rd ASEAN+ Age Group Chess Championships in Penang
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Kenneth “Llover Boy” Takes on “El Nica” Concepcion Aug 17 on Gerry Peñalosa’s Show @ the Winford Resort and Casino Manila (Analysis)
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Undefeated junior middleweight prospect Anthony Velazquez won’t be Boxing’s best kept secret in 2026
    , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Undefeated Gabriela Tellez Returns July 18 at “Night of Champions” Live on DAZN
    , Fri, 11 Jul 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.