‘Perez is scared stiff’
-A A +AFriday, September 21, 2012
AFTER the official weigh-in yesterday at SM City Cebu, ALA fighter Milan Melindo is convinced his opponent, Venezuelan Jean Piero Perez, is scared because “he can’t even look me straight in the eyes.”
Melindo said he will use this to his advantage when they face each other in Pinoy Pride XVI : Venezuelan Invasion at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.
“Tan-aw nako, nahadlok gyud siya nako. Maklaro man nimo sa iyang nawong kay kon ako siyang tutokan, dili siya makatutok og bawos,” said Melindo, who will be defending his World Boxing Organization (WBO) International flyweight title.
“I am sure he is just motivated to fight because of his coach,” he added.
Melindo, however, said that he will not take this fight lightly especially since Perez is a former world champion.
“Dili lang gyud ko mokompiyansa kay former world champion baya sab ni siya. Usahay kanang kulba mawagtang inig away hilabi na kon masakitan na,” dugang ni Melindo.
Perez, however, said that he is not the least bit scared of Melindo’s credentials.
Melindo keeps an unblemished slate and is tipped to become a world champion.
Melindo is 27-0, with 11KOs. Perez has a 19-4-1, 14KOs record. Both tipped the scale at the 112 lbs flyweight limit.
Melindo added that he believes someone will get knocked down in this showdown since he and his opponent share the same style—they could be counter-punchers or sluggers.
ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer said this is not an easy task for his ward Melindo.
Aldeguer said if Melindo wins, he will right away prepare the world title fight, which would possibly happen early next year.
Melindo will be running after two world titles—the WBO or the World Boxing Association flyweight titles.
Another fight to watch out for in today’s promotion is the OBPF flyweight title defense of Rocky “Road Warrior” Fuentes against Japanese challenger Myung Ho Lee.
This will be Fuentes’ fifth title-defense of the title he won via a majority decision against Japanese Masafumi Okubo in 2009.
Lee stands taller than Fuentes but according to Fuentes, this won’t be a problem.
“Nakaaway na man sab ko’g mga tag-as pa nako, okey ra man kaya ra man nako,” said Fuentes.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on September 22, 2012.
Sports
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