By Jake Donovan
At the Grand Sierra Resort, Reno, Nevada, welterweight prospect Mark Jason Melligen opened the Fox Sports “Top Rank Live” telecast with a win over former lightweight contender Anges Adjaho at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada.
Scores were 97-93, 98-92 and 99-91 in the 10-round welterweight scrap.
Melligen won virtually by remaining busier throughout the fight, particularly in the first five rounds, where he was able to build up an early lead. Though moving up two divisions, Adjaho was landing the more telling blows, but was far too inactive to make a significant impact on the judges’ scorecards.
The bout was slow in action for the most part, a fact not lost on the sparse crowd on hand who that was quick to voice their displeasure. The exception came in the sixth, when both fighters traded, and Adjaho picked up the pace considerably, landing several shots upstairs in efforts to ignite a firefight.
The burst in the sixth round was precisely what Adjaho needed to do throughout, but instead turned out to be the standout moment in an otherwise typically frustrating performance.
It was to where his own corner told him he was fighting to lose, though he resumed to fighting in spurts until the final round, when the damage was already done on the scorecards. Melligen didn’t exactly seal the deal with a vengeance, in fact coasting to the finish line with the belief that he won the fight on workrate alone.
Melligen improves to 19-2 (13KO) with the win, his third straight. The southpaw remains a fixture on the Top Rank Live circuit, though seems to be moving sideways in terms of career progression.
The frustration continues for Adjaho, who falls to 25-3 (14KO). He has now lost two straight, with this fight being the first since he was stopped by Antonio DeMarco nearly a year ago.
Joey Gilbert (21-2, 16 KOs) made his return and won an eight round decision over Billy Bailey (10-9-1, 4 KOs). The fight took place in the light heavyweight division. The scores were 79-73, 79-73 and 80-72.
