Melindo clinches world title in Japan

 Milan Melindo floors Akira Yaegashi in the first round en route to winning the IBF world light flyweight title in Tokyo, Japan./CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/Sumio Yamada


Milan Melindo floors Akira Yaegashi in the first round en route to winning the IBF world light flyweight title in Tokyo, Japan./CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/Sumio Yamada

MILAN Melindo finally achieved his dream of becoming a world champion and did it in emphatic fashion as he scored a first-round knockout win over defending champion Akira Yaegashi to snatch the IBF junior flyweight title Sunday night at the Ariake Colosseum in Tokyo, Japan.

Melindo dropped his Japanese opponent thrice in the opening round en route to becoming the fourth current Filipino world champion.

It was Melindo’s third attempt to win a world title. He improved to 36W-2L-13KOs, while Yaegashi fell to 25W-6L-13KOs.

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