Following his second round technical knockout win over Mexican Fabian Luque, Mark Jason Melligen aims to continue his track to become a world boxing champion.
One of his trainers, Tony Martin, told ABS-CBN News that he will ?not be surprised that in the next year or so, he will become a world champion.?
The 23-year-old Cebuano native won the World Boxing Council (WBC) Continental America title in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico on Saturday (Sunday in Manila).
Melligen revealed that he was not nervous at all as he entered the ring before the fight.
?Kampante po ako kasi alam ko nasa kundisyon ang katawan ko. Nung first round napatumba ko siya tapos nakatayo pa siya ulit,? narrated Melligen.
?Tapos nung second round napabagsak ko siya ulit, lumaban ulit. Finallow-upan ko nang finallow-upan, ?yun, pinatigil na ng referee,? he added.
B-Class fighting
Edito “ALA” Villamor, Melligen?s Filipino coach, said that the victory of his ALA Boxing Promotions ward was ?impressive.?
?Kumpiyansa kami kasi susundan pa dapat ng kumbinasyon kaya lang pinatumba na niya so ?di na nagamit yung kumbinasyon,? noted Villamor.
Martin, however, thought otherwise. ?Although he won three fights, this is what we call B-class fighting.?
?We now have to move another step to the A-class and this is the time when we?re gonna find out whether this boy is gonna make it or not,? Martin added.
Villamor said despite fighting in Luque?s home country, the thousands of Mexicans who watched the bout gave Melligen a warm welcome.
He noted that Mexican boxing fans respect Filipino fighters because of pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao.
Melligen is expected to arrive in the country on Thursday. With a record of 15 -1 (with 11 KOs), he is set to fight on August 15 in the Nonito Donaire undercard in Las Vegas.
With a report from Bev Llorente, ABS-CBN News North America Bureau
