Mexican over limit, won't wrest title if he beats Melindo

CEBU City, Philippines  – Fight judge Salven Lagumbay, acting as World Boxing Organization (WBO) supervisor in behalf of Asia-Pacific head Leon Panoncillo, announced that the fight between Filipino Milan Melindo and Mexican Francisco Rosas would push through as scheduled here, but declared that the WBO Intercontinental flyweight belt at stake in today’s match will be left vacant if ever Rosas wins.

Melindo and Rosas clash in a 12-round flyweight bout spearheading Series 8 of `Pinoy Pride: Philippine vs. Mexico’ at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino here.

Rosas came in above the limit during Friday’s official weigh-in held at the SM Cebu Entertainment Center.

Melindo tipped in at 111 lbs., while Rosas, to the dismay of the huge weekend crowd, weighed in five pounds over the limit at 117.

The Mexican tried to shed the excess pounds, but could only go down to 113.5 an hour after returning to the scale.

Relentless Jason Pagara and undefeated Genesis Servania also see action in the two main undercards of the boxing card organized by ALA Promotions in cooperation with network giant ABS-CBN.

Pagara (27-1, 16 KOs) takes on Rosbel Montaya (12-2-1, 11 KOs), while Servania (14-0) will have his hands full against veteran Gerson Guerrero (34-8, 26 KOs).

Montaya also failed to make the junior welterweight limit after weighing in at 141 lbs. Pagara, the reigning WBO Youth Asia-Pacific champion, came in at exactly 140 lbs.

The same rules apply in the Pagara-Montoya fight, with the WBO Youth Asia-Pacific title being declared vacant in the event the Mexican wins.

The bout is presented by Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino, the City Government of Cebu, Cobra Tunay na Lakas Energy Drink, SM City Cebu, Ayala Active Zone and Plantation Bay Resort and Spa.