No excuses: Melindo vows to end world title drought

Milan Melindo (left) and Fahlan Sakkrareen (right) at the press conference for the Pinoy Pride 39 (CDN PHOTO/ LITO TECSON).

Milan “El Metodico” Melindo strongly believes in the saying “the third time’s the charm.”

This he assured everyone when he and his opponent, former world title challenger Fahlan Sakkrareen Jr. of Thailand, faced each other in the final press conference of the Pinoy Pride 39: Road to Redemption yesterday at the newly opened Seaside Saloon of The Social at the SM Seaside City Cebu.

The 28-year-old Melindo and the 23-year-old Sakkrareen will square off in the main bout of the fight card Saturday night at the Cebu Coliseum. At stake is the IBF World Interim Junior Flyweight title.

It will be Melindo’s third attempt to win a world title after faltering in his first two tries. His first shot for a world title failed when he lost to Juan Francisco Estrada in 2013 in Macau, China, for the WBA and WBO Super Flyweight titles. Last year, he had another chance, but he lost again to Javier Mendoza in Mexico for the IBF World Junior Flyweight title.

Melindo, who has a record of 34-2-0 (win-loss-draw) with 12KOs, vowed to arrest that slump tomorrow. And he said he plans to do it emphatically.

“There’s going to be a knockout,” he said. “I’ve trained very hard for this fight. There are no more excuses for me because the fight’s going to happen in my hometown in front of my fans and supporters.”

Even ALA Promotions International CEO Michael P. Aldeguer believes this is the time for Melindo to shine.

“This is his chance. Sakkrareen’s a good fighter but not as good as Estrada, and we know that he’s been waiting for this for many years. We believe that he can do it,” Aldeguer said.
Sakkrareen, as usual, kept his cool and didn’t engage Melindo in a word war. Instead, he promised boxing fans that he’ll be doing his best to make sure the Filipino boxer won’t take the crown on a silver platter.

“Melindo is a good boxer, but this fight will not be an easy fight for him,” the Thai boxer, who has a 31-4-1,16KOs record, said. “I will do my best to defeat him.”