BEING a world champion comes with a price.
While most are getting ready for the holiday season, reigning International Boxing Federation (IBF) world light flyweight champion Milan “El Metodico” Melindo is busy preparing for his New Year’s eve world-title unification showdown against World Boxing Association (WBA) world light flyweight champion Ryoichi Taguchi in Tokyo, Japan.
The 29-year-old veteran ring warrior from Cagayan de Oro City is aiming to duplicate his upset knockout victory against Akira Yaegashi last May in Tokyo, Japan.
“Yes it’s the holiday season but I need to work hard and train hard for the future of my career,” Melindo told Cebu Daily News.
Melindo, one of the top boxers of ALA Boxing Gym, holds a record of 37 wins (13 knockouts) and two defeats. He fought three times before he finally became a world champion last May by dethroning Yaegashi (25-6-0, 13KOs) in a stunning first round technical knockout victory.
But it will be a tough task ahead for Melindo as he will be fighting a taller opponent who has not tasted defeat since 2013.
“This is a tough fight for me because it is a unification bout and both of us are world champions. But I am very determined to unify the titles. It’s been my long time dream to become an undisputed world champion,” Milendo said.
Melindo is aiming to win all four world titles in the light flyweight division.
Melindo’s trainer Edito Villamor said he is confident that his ward will be ready come fight night.
“It is going to be a tough fight because Taguchi is a world champion and he is fighting in his own backyard but we are confident because Milan (Melindo) has showed his determination to win the title and he’s training very hard for this fight,” said Villamor.