IT TOOK only two minutes of the fourth round for Bacolod City's Mark Gil Melligen to become the new World Boxing Organization (WBO) Oriental featherweight champion.
The Barangay Pahanocoy pride stopped Thailand’s Petchsamuthr Duanaaymukdahan last Saturday at the Expo Garden in Kunming City in Southwestern China.
The 26-year-old pugilist, who also dreams of following the fate of Manny Pacquiao and Donnie Nietes, has improved to 19 wins, four losses and a draw with 10 knockouts. Duanaaymukdahan dropped to eight wins and three defeats with a knockout.
Melligen, now fighting under Japanese promoter Kashimi, has won six straight matches, scoring four consecutive knockouts abroad with three accomplished in Japan.
Aside from Duanaaymukdahan, Melligen also beat Thai Bualuang OnesongchaiGym in 1:26 minutes of the fifth round last April at Sangyo Hall in Ishikawa, Japan.
Last year, Millegen also had a pair of knockout victories over Indonesian James Mokoginta in three minutes of the sixth round, and against Japanese Masayuki Wakimoto in 2:08 minutes of the second round.
Melligen's last fight at home was in 2011 when he won via retirement over Eric Macas in April. It was followed by a unanimous decision triumph against Rufino Mante in October all fought at 888 Chinatown Square Mall in Bacolod City.