Melindo may fight in Japan this year
CEBU CITY, Philippines—Prime Stags Sports recently revealed that they are working on a fight for former world champion and now Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) silver featherweight champion Milan “El Metodico” Melindo in Japan this year.
Prime Stags Sports vice president Pocholo Padilla revealed that they are close to securing fight for Melindo in Japan.
Padilla said that they are targeting May or August for Melindo’s fight in Japan.
“Close na mi sa negotiations. Either late May or August in Japan for Milan. Hapit na ma close ang negotiations, para ma finalize na namo ang next event namo,” said Padilla, who signed Melindo last year as one of his banner boxers for his boxing promotions based in Talisay City.
The 34-year-old Melindo, a former International Boxing Federation (IBF) and International Boxing Organization (IBO) world light flyweight champion, recently clinched the OPBF title.
He won via unanimous decision against Thai Chaiwat Buatkrathok at the Cebu City Sports Center during the main event of the “Prime Fight Series 2” of the Prime Stags Sports.
Padilla said if negotiations for the Japan fight won’t push through, their other option is to let Melindo fight here in Cebu in June.
Melindo has had a roller coaster experience in Japan.
He fought in Japan four times in his career.
He won his first world title in Japan after knocking out Akira Yaegashi in the first round for the IBF world light flyweight title in 2017.
It was also where he lost the same world title. He faltered there three straight times that led to his three-year hiatus.
Melindo lost the IBF world light flyweight title to WBA super world light flyweight king Ryoichi Taguchi in the same year in a unification bout via unanimous decision.
In 2018, Melindo fought for the third time in Japan for another world title. That time he fought Kenshiro Teraji for the WBC world light flyweight title but suffered a devastating seventh round technical knockout defeat.
He went back to Japan in 2019 to fight Junto Nakatani but again fell short after losing via a sixth round TKO.
After that, Melindo wasn’t seen again inside the ring until 2022 when he fought Crison Omayao in his comeback fight in Zamboanga City, where he won by a sixth round stoppage.
/bmjo
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Melindo outboxes Thai foe, wrests OPBF silver featherweight title in Cebu comeback fight
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