By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Undefeated WBO Asia Pacific minimum weight champion Milan Melindo and underrated bantamweight Michael Domingo figure in career defining fights against tough Mexican opponents at the Cuneta Astrodome on October 3.
Melindo is currently ranked No.1 by the WBO behind reigning champion Donnie Nietes of the ALA Gym , No.3 by the WBA and the IBF and No. 5 by the WBA and is on the verge of earning a title shot.
The skilled 21 year old Melindo who is regarded as one of the outstanding boxers from the famed ALA Gym will face dangerous Mexican puncher Guadalupe Martinez who has a record of 7 wins all by knockouts in 9 fights who replaces WBC No. 8 ranked Ivan Meneses who was embroiled in a managerial dispute and had to be replaced. The only loss suffered by Martinez was against the talented Victor Proa who at that time was undefeated in 14 fights with 10 knockouts.
Fighting on the same card is the 30 year old veteran Michael Domingo who battles former US Olympian and world contender Jose Navarro of the United States.
ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer said “this is the biggest and most important fight of Michael in his entire career. It’s a make or break encounter which he cannot afford to lose.”
Domingo who was forced to pull-out of a big fight in the US when he was diagnosed with hepatitis B which was a major setback to him. Subsequently cleared Domingo returned to score an unimpressive win against Monico Laurente of Elorde Stable last March 14, 2009 and will have to put on a much better showing against the talented Navarro who is considered a fine boxer.
The southpaw Navarro has a record of 26-4 with 12 knockouts. Among his prominent victims have been Gabriel Elizondo, Ivan Baas and Reynaldo Hurtado. However, Navarro has fought for a world title four times and lost all four, some bny highly controversial hometown decisions in Japan.
He lost twice to defending champions Katsushige Kawashima and Masamori Tokuyama who had also beaten former two-division world champion Gerry Penalosa and was also outpointed by IBF champion Dimitri Kirilov in Russia. In his last title fight Navarro lost a heartbreaking split decision to Christian Mijares on February 16, 2008 with one judge, Dough Tucker scoring the fight for Navarro by a 120-108 shutout.
