Melindo decisions Venezuelan rival

CEBU CITY, Philippines  – Milan Melindo grabbed the microphone and apologized to the crowd after he had just beaten Venezuela’s Jean Piero Perez late Saturday night at the Waterfront Hotel here.

“Sorry po hindi ko siya na-knockout (I’m sorry I failed to knock him out),” said Melindo who stood at the center of the ring as the crowd started to disappear from his sight.

The venue was packed by the time the main bout started past 10:30 p.m. The crowd had come to see some fireworks, a knockout, but was dragged into 12 whole rounds.

Melindo displayed his boxing skills in the early rounds and took control of the fight. But he couldn’t provide the excitement he promised the day before.

“Ginawa ko po ang best ko na mapaganda ang laban (I did my best to make it a great fight),” added Melindo after the bout that looked closer than the recorded majority decision.

Judge Salven Lagumbay scored it a draw, 114-114, Edward Ligas 116-112 and Tony Pesons 115-113 for Melindo’s 28th win in as many fights. Perez slipped to 19-5-1.

Melindo kept his WBO International flyweight crown, and stayed on track toward a shot at the world title. It may or may not happen next year.

As the two boxers punched through the final minute of the bout, part of the crowd was already heading to the exit, confident of a win for Melindo. Besides, it was almost midnight.

Melindo poured on the heat in the early rounds against the former WBA flyweight champion but a deep cut on his left eyelid during the eighth round slowed him down a bit.

Perez, who had knocked out 14 of his previous opponents, started to find his range, and started to land the better punches. He fought like a real champion and just came short of a win.

A couple more rounds and perhaps he would have had a better chance of beating Melindo. After the decision was announced, the Venezuelan camp looked surprised.

But they took it as it is, and the two boxers hugged more than a couple of times. Perez got a good round of applause from those who stayed on to hear the decision.

“Hindi ko akalain na masusugatan ako (I didn’t expect to get cut). Half na lang ang nakikita ko sa kalaban ko (I could only see half of my opponent),” said Melindo.

The undefeated Filipino fighter out of the famed ALA Boxing Stable of Cebu left the elegant hotel almost an hour after the fight surrounded by his seconds.

Melindo was going straight to the hospital to have the cut closed. In his shiny ALA track suit, he stood quietly as he waited for his ride.

“Panalo naman tayo (We won). No question. Pero world champion talaga ang kalaban (The opponent is a real world champion),” said Melindo’s trainer, Edmond Salvador.

“Naging mas-busy siya sa huli. Kung inagahan lang niya baka iba ang nangyari (He was the busier fighter in the end. If he did that early on anything could have happened,” said the other Villamor, Edito.

AJ Banal, who shoots for the WBO bantamweight title on Oct. 20 at the Mall of Asia Arena, watched the fight from ringside, along with fellow ALA stars Boom-Boom Bautista, Donnie Nietes and Jason Pagara.

“Panalo naman. Pero kung sa ibang bansa ang laban, delikado (It was a good win. But if it were held in another country it would have been risky),” said Banal.

In the main undercard, Rocky Fuentes fought amid chants of “Ro-cky! Ro-cky!” and kept his OPBF flyweight title with a unanimous decision over Japan’s Myung Ho Lee.

In the other bouts of Pinoy Pride XVI, lightfly Welbeth Sabillo defeated Aroel Romasasa, lightfly Merlito Sabillo knocked out Jovel Romasasa and bantamweight Arthur Villanueva outpointed Thai veteran Pramuansak Posuwan.

Pinoy Pride was kept intact at the Waterfront Hotel.