Moments ago at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mark Melligen kept his championships aspirations alive with a hard fought and impressive decision win over Norberto Gonzalez. The bout was a notable one in Melligen?s career and he showed that he was certainly up for the contest.
The first round was both tactical and intense, as Melligen opened things up with a crashing left hand that got his Monterrey, Mexico native?s attention. Gonzalez shook his head and fired back stubbornly. The early going seemed to have the look of a can?t-miss fight as the action was sure to increase.
Melligen started the second round off with a quick left as well as Gonzalez seemed slightly surprised. The action lulled momentarily but a thudding left hook from Melligen to the body again got Gonzalez? attention. Despite shaking his head as if to say that he wasn?t phased it was obvious that Melligen was getting his respect. As the round came to a close Melligen again pressed forward while seeming to take the early lead.
The third seemed to be a little bit better for Gonzalez and the action was give and take. Towards the end of the stanza the Mexican has success firing punches on Melligen, who was covering up on the ropes. The fourth was somewhat slow until the last 30 seconds when the action really picked up. Gonzalez was caught and dropped by a piercing left hand with under ten seconds left in the round.
Melligen had a solid 5th and seemed to be carrying the day with his calculated attack and precise punching. It also appeared that the southpaw?s left stance was giving Gonzalez trouble, as was the case to start the 6th as he ate another flush left hand. Gonzalez remained game but appeared to be letting fight slip away as Melligen was the more focused and accurate fighter.
Toward the end of the seventh the Bacolod City native landed with a clean left again and the crowd showed their approval. It was another round in which the action was even early on but all Melligen down the stretch.
In the eight Melligen appeared to land a clean punch but blood soon began pouring down and Gonzalez claimed ?headbutt?. Referee Joe Cortez stopped the action momentarily, only for things to pick up dramatically seconds later. With blood pouring down his face Gonzalez knew he needed to make a statement and he fought accordingly.
Even though the action was sparse in the ninth there was a certain drama in the air as Melligen seemed to smell victory. He seized the initiative with lead left hands that had Gonzalez backpedaling towards the end of the round. The Mexican couldn?t do much to change the momentum in the tenth either as Melligen closed the show as the fresher and more determined fighter.
Scores of 100-90 across the board were all read in Melligen?s favor as he improves his record to 18-2 with 13 knockouts. Gonzalez falls to 18-2 with 12 stoppages. It was an impressive win for Melligen, who earlier this week had stated that he would love a crack at fellow welterweight hopeful Alfonso Gomez, who defeated Jose Luis Castillo last month.
