THE CULPRIT. This deep cut above Melindo’s left eye was the reason why match officials decided to stop the fight and hand his opponent the victory./contributed
For Melindo’s trainer, decision to stop fight was the right move
With reigning World Boxing Council (WBC) world light flyweight champion Ken Shiro dominating former IBF world light flyweight champion Milan “El Metodico” Melindo, it was just right that referee Laurence Cole stopped the fight and gave the Japanese boxer the victory.
Shiro masterfully showcased his speed and power and won via seventh-round technical knockout (TKO) last Sunday evening in Yokohama, Japan.
The 26-year old Shiro masterfully showcased his speed and power, forcing Melindo to be on the defensive end throughout the short-lived bout. He also landed more telling blows that resulted to a deep cut in Melindo’s left eyebrow. That cut did not stop bleeding.
In the seventh round, Cole halted the bout to check Melindo’s cut. At the 2:47 mark of that round, the ring physician decided to stop the fight to prevent Melindo from absorbing more damage from Shiro’s onslaught.
Melindo’s trainer, Edito Villamor of ALA Promotions International, thought it was the right thing to do.
“It’s better safe than sorry,” said Villamor. “There is still a lot of fight waiting out there and I agree with the ring physician’s decision to stop the fight.”
Villamor said the deep cut that cost his ward the fight came from Shiro’s right straight.
Shiro cleanly placed his jabs and combinations but there was a little bright spot for the Cagayan de Oro City native in the second round. He landed an overhand right that clearly hurt the Japanese champion.
But Shiro came in more cautious in the following rounds by throwing combinations and slipped away when Melindo countered.
Shiro remained unbeaten with a 14-0-0 (win-loss-draw) card. The 30-year-old Melindo, a five-time world title challenger, suffered his fourth defeat against 37 wins.
Melindo was the third Filipino to be defeated by Shiro. The other two Filipino boxers were Rolly Sumalpong and Lester Abutan.
It was actually a disastrous weekend for Filipino ring warriors abroad as Melindo, Jason Canoy Manigos, and Mark Bernaldez faltered in their respective bouts.
Manigos got knocked out in the third round against world champion Luis Nery in Tijuana, Mexico while Bernaldez lost to Aussie Kye Mackenzie via a seventh-round TKO in Australia.