International Boxing Federation (IBF) light flyweight champion Milan Melindo is all set to face his World Boxing Association (WBA) light flyweight titleholder Ryoichi Taguchi on New Year?s eve in a unification match at the Ota-City General Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan.
Melindo, who is sporting a 37-2 win-loss record with 13 knockouts, got the opportunity of a unification title bout from Watanabe promotion a week after surviving a split decision win over South African Hekkie Budler last September 16 in Cebu.
?I?m ready for the fight. I hope to get an impressive win in front of the Japanese crowd,? the 29-year old Melindo, 29 told The Manila Times on Monday.
Melindo accomplished almost 200 rounds of sparring during training since last week of September and their fight plan is ready in neutralizing Taguchi.
?He (Taguchi) is more of a body puncher and his specialty is the so-called kidney punch. I think they are wary of my counter-punching and they will try to speed up the fight otherwise I will hit him,? added Melindo.
His trainer and coach, Edito Villamor, confirmed that Melindo is near to his best shape and the hometown crowd won?t be a factor in the fight.
?We?re doing light training now and we?ll be checking his weight when we arrive in Japan. No more sparring a week before the bout. I think Milan is almost 100 percent ready,? said Villamor.
Beating an opponent at his hometown is not new to Melindo as he already dethroned former Japanese champion Akira Yaegashi last May in Japan.
Taguchi, 31, is holding a 26-2-2 win-loss-draw record with 12 knockouts.
The Cagayan de Oro City native Melindo and Villamor leave for Tokyo on Tuesday.
