SPEEDY ALA Gym fighter Milan ?Milenyo? Melindo will be in for an overwhelming task as he is assigned by ALA Promotions to face veteran former world champion Muhammad Rachman on March 14 at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Cebu City.
Undefeated in 17 professional bouts, Melindo will be tested against the 37-year-old Indonesian to see if he belongs to the elite fighters of his weight division, the minimum weight category.
?It?s a big test for Milan, fighting an opponent like Rachman. This will be a very dangerous fight for Milan,? commented ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer in an interview by Sun.Star Cebu.
Aldeguer expects an immense battle of two highly-rated fighters and believes that Melindo, 20, has to go through this fight to determine if he is capable of becoming a future world champion.
?It?s a battle of world-rated fighters. We?re looking at where his level is on right now and I expect a great fight between the two fighters,? Aldeguer added.
Ranking
Melindo (17-0, 5 KO?s) is currently No.1 in the World Boxing Organization minimum weight division, in which fellow ALA boy Donnie ?Ahas? Nietes presently holds the title. He is also rated fourth in the World Boxing Association and 11th in the International Boxing Federation, wherein Rachman (626-5, 31 KO?s) is ranked fourth.
On the other hand, ALA Promotions has already found a suitable prospect for the bantamweight debut of Z ?The Dream? Gorres, who will also headline the same blockbuster card.
After being turned down by their initial Gorres prospected opponent, Cecilio Santos, ALA Promotions is turning their attention on former IBF mini-flyweight champion Roberto Carlos Leyva of Mexico as Gorres?s next foe.
Not final yet
However, nothing is final yet and the Mexican can either accept the offer or turn it down, like what Santos did.
?It?s not yet a done deal. We?re still waiting and hoping for it to be finalized,? said Aldeguer.
Leyva has a record of 25 wins, eight defeats and a draw with 20 stoppages.
The 29-year-old Mexican fighter has fought the likes of WBO light flyweight king Ivan Calderon (32-0, 6 KO?s) and WBC light flyweight titleholder Edgar Sosa (34-5, 18 KO?s). He has also fought former world champions Miguel Barrera (23-1-2, 13 KO?s), Daniel Reyes (40-6-1, 30 KO?s), and Ivan Hernandez (24-3-1, 13 KO?s). (EKA)
