Arum Impressed With Melligen, Eyes Pinoy Power 3
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum continues to be impressed with welterweight Mark Jason Melligen who scored an impressive 4th round TKO over hard-hitting Mexican Ernesto Zepeda at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Longtime Cebu resident Tony Martin who lives in Las Vegas where he trains Melligen together with Edito “Ala” Villamor told BoxingScene.com, insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports that Arum spoke to him after the fights on “Pinoy Power 2” and was “over the moon” with the Filipino southpaw’s performance.
Martin said “for some reason he (Arum) really likes Melligen and therefore he is going to guide his career.” He said Arum has a tentative fight scheduled for Melligen on October 17 at the Hard Rock venue in Vegas and then “wants to put him in the Pinoy Power 3 on December 12 and is hoping to get ( Michel) Rosales for that particular fight.” Martin said Rosales “is a tougher opponent” than Zepeda.
The Mexican pulled out of the fight against Melligen on Sunday apparently due to an injury suffered in training while an earlier report claimed Rosales had failed to get his visa.
Martin said he was asked by Brad Goodman to go to the Top Rank office this coming week to discuss their plans for Melligen. However, Martin said that if Melligen fights on the October card “obviously he mustn’t get injured or anything that will ruin his chances for the December fight. So we’ll have to take that into consideration.”
Martin revealed that Melligen had a “swollen knuckle where he caught the guy on the chin and has a slight swelling on his cheekbone where he was head-butted but other than that he’s in great spirits and great condition.”
Melligen himself told us he doesn’t plan to return to Cebu for a break like he usually does because of the October fight being lined up for him. Melligen said that “in all my fights this is the fight where I was in the best condition. I never got tired.”
He said Zepeda was strong and he felt a little groggy especially after the head-butt which made him dizzy.”
Melligen whose demeanor has always been commendable both in and outside the ring which is typical of fighters from the famed ALA Gym of respected boxing patron Tony Aldeguer told us “discipline is important while you have to train hard.”
Melligen said he always wants to entertain Filipino fight fans and thanked his countrymen for their continued support and prayers.
