By Ronnie Nathanielsz

The Philippines hard-hitting southpaw, light welterweight champion Mark Jason Melligen should make a winning debut in the US when he takes on Gerardo Cesar Prieto of Mexico at the Mile High Center in Denver, Colorado on March 7.

The 30 year old Prieto has a record of 6-5-1 with no knockouts according to boxrec.com and should prove a simple assignment for the 22 year old Melligen who has a record of 12-1 with 9 knockouts. He is coming of a 4th round unanimous decision over Joel Rodriguez last October 24. However, Prieto suffered a 3rd round TKO in his previous bout against undefeated Jeremy Bryan on April 11 last year.

Melligen was originally scheduled to fight lightweight Ramon Montano, a one time sparring partner of Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao and lost a close ten round majority decision to then WBC lightweight champion David Diaz.  ALA Gym chairman and respected boxing patron Tony Aldeguer said Montano had pulled out of the fight but gave no reasons.

Melligen who has been training for some two months at the Mayweather Gym in Las Vegas. Nevada along with longtime Cebu resident and boxing man Tony Martin as well as Roger Mayweather and former world junior lightweight champion Cornelius Boza Edwards was working hard and looking great according to Martin.

He said even former world No.1 pound-for-pound fighter Floyd Mayweather Jr who watched Melligen spar eight rounds at the Mayweather Gym recently was impressed..

Martin said they have been training at the Mayweather gym for almost three months and Melligen has worked hard and sparred over 100 rounds with sparring partners ranging from 140 pounds to 160 pounds and hasn’t backed off.

Melligen’s jogging consists of flat road work and mountain work and according to Martin he has been running at an elevation of 5,000 feet the past week in order to prepare for the high altitude of the fight venue. Martin expressed confidence stating “He is ready and we are going there to win.”