Melindo defends crown in war of counter-punchers

Boxing fans will be treated to a battle royale between two counter punchers tonight when WBO International Flyweight champion Milan “El Metodico” Melindo defends his crown against WBA Interim world champion and WBA No. 4 ranked contender Jean Piero Perez of Venezuela in the main event of Pinoy Pride XVI: The Venezuelan Invasion at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.

Both fighters also made the required weight during yesterday’s official weigh-in held at SM City Cebu.

Melindo (27W-0L, 11 KOs) tipped the scales at 112lbs and promised his fans of no less than a knockout win against the taller Perez (19W-4L-1D, 14 KOs) who also weighed 112lbs.

“This will be a great fight between two counter punchers. I am sure that this fight will end in a knock-out but I will make sure that I will not be the one who will kiss the canvas,” said Melindo.

“He looks nervous, I can see it in his eyes during the press conference last Thursday. I know that he is a great boxer but for now, his coach is the only one who motivates him and lessen his jitters,” added Melindo who could challenge compatriot Brian Viloria for the latter’s WBO flyweight belt.

FUENTES, LEE MAKE WEIGHT

Meanwhile, OPBF flyweight champion Rocky “The Road Warrior” Fuentes weighed-in at 111.5 lbs while the taller Myung Ho Lee of Japan tipped the scales at 112 lbs.

Fuentes said that he needs to win the fight impressively to strengthen his bid for a world title fight next year. Lee meanwhile, vowed to bring back Fuentes’ OPBF belt to Japan so as not to disappoint his scores of supporters who came all the way from Japan just to cheer him on tonight.

Another of ALA Boxing Promotions’ OPBF champ, Merlito “Tiger” Sabillo, who holds the minimumweight title, will face substitute Aroel Romasasa in an eight-round non-title contest. Both Sabillo and Romasasa weighed in at 106 lbs.

Sabillo’s fellow Ilonggo Arthur “El Matador” Villanueva will face his first foreign opponent in Thai veteran and former world title challenger Pramuansak Posuwan. They tipped the scales at 116 ½ and 117 lbs, respectively.