Melligen hacks out win over Gonzalez

MANILA, Philippines - Welterweight Mark Melligen kept his championship hopes alive by beating Norberto Gonzalez in convincing fashion in a non-title bout in the main event of a Top Rank card at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

Melligen outboxed Gonzalez throughout the bout and went on to score a 100-90 win on all cards. He improved to 18-2 with 13 KOs while dealing Gonzalez his second defeat against 18 victories.

The Bacolod native is eyeing a shot at former world title challenger Alfonso Gomez, who is currently rated No. 10 by the World Boxing Council and the International Boxing Federation and who defeated Jose Luis Castillo last month.

The bout was a notable one in Melligen’s career and he showed that he was certainly up to the task.

Melligen quickly opened things up with a crushing left hand and dominated his Mexican rival majority of the way with his aggressiveness and solid combinations.

Toward the end of the seventh, Melligen landed with a clean left again. It was another round in which the action was even early on but all Melligen down the stretch.

In the eighth, Melligen appeared to score with 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.

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 10th either as Melligen closed the show as the fresher and more determined fighter.