By Rey Danseco
WORLD rated Aaron Melgarejo of Binan, Laguna flexed his muscle to earn a majority decision win against tough challenger Mike ‘Tyson’ Tumbaga of Candon, Ilocos Sur Saturday night at the Muntinlupa Sports Complex in Tunasan, Muntinlupa City, Philippines.
Melgarejo started the fight strong when he controlled the first two rounds and took the majority of the later rounds. Two judges favored the 5-foot-8 former sparring partner of pound-for-pound idol Manny Pacquiao while the third official had his final tally even.
Retired banker Romy Yulo scored the fight 118-110 while lawyer Epi Almeda had it close, 115-113. The third judge at ringside, Ricardo Canlas of Tarlac saw it 114-114.
Tumbaga landed many powerful shots to the head and body of the three-inch taller champion but his best moment was in round 7 when he staggered Melgarejo with left hooks.
Melgarejo, who was hired as Pacquiao’s sparmate in 2007 for his buildup against Mexicans Jorge Solis and Marco Antonio Barrera, also kept his position as top contender and mandatory challenger of the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) champion Takashi Uchiyama of Japan.
Currently at No. 21 by the WBC, Melgarejo improved his record to 18-6-1, 8 knockouts.
It was Tumbaga’s first crack at the Philippine world title. He is currently a RP No. 7-ranked super-featherweight contender.
YOUNG fighter Pit Anacaya took the Philippine Boxing Federation (PBF) interim minimumweight title while Rey Migreño and Warlito Fareñas captured Luzon Professional Boxing Federation (Luzproba) titles in the undercard of the Melgarejo-Tumbaga title.
Anacaya, a protégé of Yolly Alfante’s Shock Punch Boxing Stable in Pasay City, earned a unanimous decision win ove 10 rounds against Paranaque City’s Donnie Mabao.
Judge Ricardo Canlas scored the fight 94-93, Epi Almeda had it 97-90 and Henry Viernes tallied 95-92 all in favor of Anacaya, a southpaw.
Both fighters suffered a cut from accidental clash of heads. Mabao took the cut in the right eye brow in round 7 before Anacaya floored him down with uppercut in the midsection.
Late in the 8th round, Anacaya also suffered a cut over his right eye but it didn't hurt his vision.
Local boy Albert Alcoy of the Dante Almario Stable of Muntinlupa City found it was hard to fight a bigger opponent when he was stopped with 56 seconds remaining in round 5 against Rey Migreño of La Trinidad, Benguet, in their flyweight title fight.
Former national amateur boxing standout Fareñas won the Luzproba light flyweight title with a first round knockout win against Jayson Geda of Mandaue City, Cebu.
Geda went down with a left uppercut in after the first minute of the opening bell. He beat the count but Farenas pinned him against the ropes and clobbered him with barrage of punches.
The referee jumped in and stopped the carnage at 2.08 of the first round of scheduled 10-round contest.
Other results: super flyweight Ricardo Roa of the Jaro Stable earned a unanimous decision (75-76 thrice) against Bonbon Bencolado of Nonoy Ariscon Stable (NAS) of Muntinlupa.
In two four-round clashes, mini-flyweight Roque Lauro of Elorde Gilmore Stable floored Rey Mercado in the first round en route to a unanimous decision win after light flyweight Butch Flores of WCBG beat Joan Emperial of NAS.