Milan Melindo slated to make OPBF title defense in South Korea on July 1

Milan Melindo connects an uppercut to Chaiwat Buatkrathok during their bout last January in Cebu. | Photo from Prime Stags Sports.

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Former world champion and reigning Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) silver featherweight champion Milan “El Metodico” Melindo will make his first title defense in hostile shores on  July 1, 2023 in South Korea.

He will face Korean prospect and Filipino tormentor Jong Seon Kang in his first title defense with the official venue yet to be announced.

This will be Melindo’s first fight in roughly seven months after he won the regional title in his first fight in Cebu since 2017. Melindo bagged the OPBF title by defeating Chaiwat Buatrathok of Thailand at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) last January 11.

It was Melindo’s first fight in Cebu since 2017 when he was still with ALA Boxing Gym.

The 35-year-old Melindo, the former International Boxing Federation (IBF) and International Boxing Organization (IBO) world light flyweight champion, is rekindling his once decorated boxing career. He is under a new promotional outfit in Prime Stags Sports based in Talisay City, Cebu.

The victory for Melindo last January improved his record to 39 wins with 14 knockouts and five defeats.

However, his first title defense on July won’t be a walk in the park as he faces a younger and tougher South Korean in Kang who has a 16-1-2 (win-loss-draw) record with nine knockouts.

Kang became known in the Asian boxing scene for defeating several Filipino prospects in the past years.

He built his record by defeating two Omega Boxing Gym prospects in Tomjune Mangubat and Pete Apolinar. He first defeated Mangubat in 2019 in Ho Chi Minh City for the WBO Oriental youth featherweight title via a 10-round split decision.

He beat Apolinar in 2021 via an eighth round technical knockout in Daejeon, South Korea while defending the WBO regional title.

Besides Mangubat and Apolinar, Kang also won against John Ray Logatiman via unanimous decision last 2021 in Gwangju City.

Ironically, despite building his reputation in beating Filipino prospects, Kang suffered his lone defeat in the hands of a Filipino.

In September last year, Kang lost to Lienard Sarcon in Siheung, South Korea via a 10-rounder unanimous decision. He was even knocked down in the third round against Sarcon who remains undefeated in 10 fights.

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