3 PINOY BOXERS HEADLINES 1ST DAY OF VEGAS BOXING WEEK-END EXTRAVAGANZA
IN NOVEMBER

by Rod Mijares, Oct. 25, 2009
Las Vegas


Melligen spars with Said Quali while trainers Edmund Villamor"                 Melligen with Said Quali after the sparring session Oct. 24, 2009.
and Tony Martin intently looks on.

3 Pinoy Boxers headlines the 1st day of Las Vegas boxing weekend extravaganza on November 13, 2009 at the 1800-capacity Mandalay Bay House of Blues a day prior to the mega fight between Filipino Manny Pacquiao and Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino on November 14, 2009.

Bantamweight Federico “Magnifico” Catubay from Labason, Zamboanga del Norte will fight against  Mexican Juan Alberto “The Monster” Rosas for the IBF Superflyweight Title Eliminator in 12 rounds.  Catubay has a record of 25 wins with 13 knockouts, 15 losses (8 knockouts) and 3 draws while Rosas has a record of 30 wins with 25 knockouts, 5 losses and no draw.

Also, two world class Filipino boxers from ALA Boxing Gym of Cebu will complete the cast.  Welterweight Triple “M” Mighty Mark Melligin from Bacolod City (16 W (12 KO), 1L, 0 D) will slug it out with Mexican Michel Rosales (24W(21KO), 3L (3KO), 0D) in 10 rounds while bantamweight  Z “The Dream” Gorres from Nasipit, Agusan del Norte (30W (17KO), 2L (1KO), 2D) will be up against Colombian bantamweight Luis Melendez (26W (21KO), 3L (1KO), 1D) also in 10 rounds.

Melligin was a Southeast Asian Games silver medalists in 2004 and 2005 before turning professional in April 2006.  His only professional lost was on his 7th fight and his first stint outside the Philippines in Seoul, Korea against Yong-Sung Kim on February 9, 2007.  After that lost, he is on a winning streaks including the last 4 fights in America where he impressed a lot of boxing aficionados including Top Rank’s Bob Arum who signed him into a contract and who has high hopes and nothing but optimism for him.

Z Gorres, the reigning WBO Oriental bantamweight champion, meanwhile, was on unfortunate circumstances in his world championship fight on February 24, 2007 against Mexican Fernando Montiel when he lost a controversial 12-round split decision.  Again, in Febuary 2, 2008 he fought to a draw against Armenian Vic Darchinian for the IBF Super Flyweight Title Eliminator.  In the eyes of many, he could have been a world champion by now if not for those controversial officiating that happened unexpectedly, in all places in Cebu, Philippines.   However, he has since recovered and won his last three fights including his fight against Mexican Cruz Carvajal last month on September 12, 2009.

I was at the Mayweather Gym last Saturday and watched Melligin sparred 8 quality rounds with Moroccan and Las Vegas resident Said “Prince” Ouali who is a true welterweight at 147 lbs with 29 bouts under his belt (26W(18KO), 3L, 0D).  The two gave it all and their skills, offense and defense were equally impressive and no doubt that they learned big things from each other.   Said Ouali is being trained by former world junior lightweight champion Cornelius Boza Edwards which explains his world class boxing skills.  Ouali is a United States Boxing Organization Welterweight Champion since April, 2006 but lost a 12-round split decision for the WBC International Welterweight title last April 17, 2009 but won his last fight on September 19, 2009 on a 2nd round TKO at the MGM Grand Casino.

After the sparring session, a hard working Melligin did light workout on the speed ball and cardio conditioning for about an hour.  “I am happy that I sparred with Said today.  I learned to measure my punches, as well as, gauging his punches.  I adjusted myself to his style of boxing and I hope I could do the same against Rosales on November 13 at Mandalay Bay,” Melligin said.

Edmund Villamor, Melligin’s trainer from ALA Boxing Gym in Cebu City arrived last week to help in training Melligin.  “I saw a lot of improvement in Mark since he came to Las Vegas.  He is more confident and possesses more power in his punches.  I am optimistic that he will win, especially, after studying his opponents previous fights,” Villamor said.

Tony Martin, the British born and Las Vegas based trainer of Melligin said “He is really focus and expect fireworks on fight night.  I simply don’t want to be opposite him.  He already has about 40 rounds of sparring sessions and it will continue for 2 more weeks and he will be more ready after that.  I hope that Filipinos in the west coast, especially, those in Las Vegas and California will watch and support their Filipino compatriots,  Melligin, Z Gorres and Catubay, carry the Philippine flag and bring honors to their country.  We will be happy to see more Filipinos on November 13, 2009 at Mandalay Bay House of Blues.”