MILAN Melindo has been waiting patiently in line for his chance to be in the limelight. Now that he has been given an opportunity to prove he has what it takes to make it big in this brutal profession, the 22-year-old stylist won?t let this rare opportunity slip away.
?I have trained for three months. A lot has been applied and added in my training and I?m confident that this is my time,? Melindo said during the press conference for Pinoy Pride 2 ? Best of the Best, at the Sports Exchange Bar and Grill in Mango Square.
Melindo (21-0, 6 KOs) is taking on former International Boxing Federation light flyweight titleholder Carlos Tamara (21-5, 15 KOs) at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Cebu City on Nov. 27.
The unbeaten Melindo has been reviewing the clips of Tamara?s previous battles and he is confident of his chances against the 27-year-old former Olympian in the biggest test of his career.
?For me he is just an ordinary boxer. He just relies on his stamina and toughness. But I won?t take any chances even though he has an ordinary style,? he said.
Melindo, who is one of the most technically gifted fighters in the country, has been working with his upper body strength with conditioning coach Pio Solon to improve his knockout power.
?His power has improved a lot. Just ask his sparring partner, Rocky (Fuentes). He has really shown huge improvement since working with the conditioning coach,? said ALA Gym head coach Edito Villamor.
Melindo has shown hints of improvement in the sting of his punches since working with Solon. He knocked out Korean foe Jin Maen Jeon in the second round of their fight last Aug. 28 in Cebu City.
Although Melindo?s punching power was enhanced, ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer said they won?t be gunning for a knockout because Tamara is a tough nut to crack.
?We are not really looking for a knockout because we know that in the later rounds Tamara will be stronger,? said Aldeguer.
Last January, Brian Viloria clobbered Tamara in the early rounds but he regained his strength in the later rounds and stopped the Fil-Hawaiian in the final round.
If Milendo, who now has a new moniker, ?El Metodico,? because of his methodical style of fighting, gets past Tamara, he will be a step closer at a possible world title shot.
Aldeguer said that Melindo might be in an IBF flyweight title eliminator, wherein he is currently ranked sixth.
Also featured in the blockbuster boxing show are Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) flyweight champion Rocky Fuentes, former world titlist Florante Condes and the returning Randy Suico.
Fuentes (27-6-2, 17 KOs) is defending his OPBF title against Thai Inthanon Sithchamuang (9-3, 3 KOs), Condes (24-5-1, 20 KOs) is facing Japanese Kenichi Horikawa (20-8-1, 4 KOs) while Suico (29-6-1, 25 KOs) is up against RP welterweight champion Arnel Tinampay (12-11-1, 4 KOs).
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on November 09, 2010.
