Melligen's Trainer Says The Fighter Has a Long Way To Go
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Longtime Cebu resident Tony Martin who looks after Filipino light welterweight Mark Jason Melligen (15-1, 11KO’s) in Las Vegas and handles his training at the Top Rank Gym cautioned that even with the sudden attention being given Melligen “we still have a long way to go.”
Martin was referring to Melligen’s smashing second round TKO victory over 31 year old Fabian “El Lobo” Luque who had a record of 21-8-4 with 12 knockouts in Ensenanda, Baja California, Mexico last Sunday, Manila Time.
Martin told us on his return to Las Vegas that the Mexican crowd “really took to Melligen in a big way, cheering his performance, many wanting his autograph and at the same time wanting pictures taken with him.”
Martin made it clear “we are not allowing ourselves to be lured into a false sense of being as we know full well, we still have a long way to go.”
He said that they have been congratulated by many people including Top Rank promoter Bob Arum who considers Melligen “a very good fighter” and is looking forward to his next fight at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas on August 15 although there is no word as yet on his opponent.
Melligen is scheduled to arrive in Cebu on Thursday morning and will take a short vacation to be with his family and pay his last respects to his grandfather who passed away a few days ago.
Martin said Melligen will resume training at the ALA Gym in the first week of July before returning to Las Vegas along with trainer Edmund Villamor on August 8. He said that will have only one thing on their mind – to win and win well.
