Melligen, foe make weight, Texas battle on today

MARK Jason Melligen of the ALA Gym weighed in at 149lb while his opponent Sebastian Lujan of Argentina stepped in at 146.5lb during the official weigh-in for their fight in San Antonio, Texas.

Melligen (21W-2L, 14 KOs) and Lujan (37W-5L-2D, 23 KOs) will fight in the 10-round main event of a fight card televised on ESPN 2 Friday Night Fights which airs today Philippine time.

The 31-year-old Lujan is a hardened veteran who once lost a fight to Antonio Margarito in 2005. The fight was stopped in the 10th round when Lujan’s left ear was almost torn off and literally hanging from the side of his head.

But Lujan is now on a hot streak, winning his last 11 bouts since 2007 and holds the WBC Latino welterweight title. His fight with Melligen is penned at a catchweight of 149lb, two pounds above the welterweight division limit.

The 25-year-old Melligen hails from Bacolod City and won his last five fights since losing to Michel Rosales of Mexico by split decision in 2009.

He usually trains in Las Vegas but fought again here in Cebu last October 2010 at the Waterfront Hotel where he scored a third round TKO win over Mexican Bladimir Hernandez. Melligen was initially scheduled to fight Freddy Hernandez of Mexico but the Mexican suffered an injury while training.

The southpaw Melligen will now have to contend with the more dangerous Lujan.