INTERNATIONAL boxing promoter Bob Arum is reportedly disappionted with Mark Jason Melligen's loss against Mexican Michel Rosales Nov. 13 at Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

Arum of the famous Top Rank Promotions showed disappointment with the result of the Barangay Pahanocoy, Bacolod City native Mark Jason Melligen's lost via split decision.

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Melligen, a former standout of the Negros Amateur Boxing Association (Naba) headed by former Bacolod Councilor and now Games and Amusement Board (GAB) commissioner Juan Ramon "Monju" Guanzon, has a four-year fight contract under Arum's Top Rank Promotions.

But Cebu-based Negrense international promoter Antonio "Bidoy" Aldeguer was quoted as saying "Melligen is still young and has enough time to recover from that loss."

Guanzon, who watched the fight in Las Vegas told SunStar Bacolod in a text message that Melligen's fight against Rosales "was very close and could have gone either way."

Melligen, who won a silver medal during the 2005 23rd Southeast Asian Games boxing competition held here in Bacolod City at the University of St. La Salle Coliseum, won 98-92 in the scorecard of Judge Burt Clemens but lost 96-94 in the cards of Judges Paul Smith and Eric Cheek.

Dr. Ed dela Vega who watched the Melligen-Rosales fight at ringside said "a draw could have done more justice to the contest."

Rosales, who enjoyed an advantage in height and reach, was supposed to fight Melligen last August 13 but had to be replaced on the last minute due to problems regarding his US visa.

His replacement, the Mexican warrior Ernesto Zepeda hit the canvass four times before losing to the Negrense via TKO in the fourth round. (HCV)