By Ronnie Nathanielsz

WBA Intercontinental light flyweight champion and WBO Asia Pacific minimum weight champion Milan “Melinyo” Melindo, goes after a third title when he takes on WBC Youth Intercontinental flyweight champion Anthony Villareal, a talented American in the main event of an exciting fight card at the plush ballroom of the Waterfront Hotel on January 14.

Melindo provided fight fans with a glimpse of his superb condition and the ability to move up in weight when he went three furious rounds with Philippine flyweight champion Rocky Fuentes in a public sparring session at the Gaisano Country Mall in Cebu before a huge crowd.

Melindo is ranked No.1 in the world by the WBO, No. 3 by the WBA and No. 5 by the WBC and IBF and a win over Villareal will move him closer to a title shot.

The big event in the hotbed of boxing,Cebu,  will be staged in the midst of the spectacular Sinulog festival and is titled “Bakbakas sa Sinulog” and is a joint venture between SMART Sports and TV5 along with the renowned ALA Promotions and will mark the entry of Smart Sports into television coverage of professional boxing although Smart has always been a major supporter of the big fights of pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao.

The head of Smart Sports and Marketing and Special Projects Pato Gregorio said that the eminent-businessman-sportsman Manny Pangilinan who recently acquired TV 5 had “insisted that to ensure an exciting and evenly  matched encounter he wanted a Filipino to challenge for a title so as not to favor the local boy in the choice of an opponent” which was welcomed by Aldeguer who wants his fighters to be truly tested to find out whether they are ready to fight for a world title..

It is due to Pangilinan’s insistence that the 21 years old Melindo fighting as a challenger instead of a defending champion, in the process facing a tough American at a higher weight limit..

When asked about the fight and having to move up in weight, Melindo said  “I prefer it this way since it will give me a chance to fight for another weight division title. I like the challenge and the tougher it is – the better for me.”

Touted as the next possible world champion from the famed ALA stable, the diminutive Melindo is risking his unblemished fight record and his world ratings when he collides with the tough Mexican American Champion Villareal who hails from of California..

Known as the “Baby Assasin” the 22 yr. old Villareal is a tough and rugged warrior who in his last fight scored a rousing split decision win over the previously undefeated and promising Mexican, Manuel Roman, in the process dropping him in round two in a hard, give-and-take battle.

Villareal has not lost in his last five fights and has only two losses in 11 fights and prides himself over the fact that he has never been stopped.

“I don’t think Melindo has the power to stop me so I will push him to the limit until he quits. I will pulverize him if he meets me toe to toe, ” assured the WBC Youth Champion when interviewed by ALA handler Edito Villamor at the Wild Card Gym where Villareal also trains.

In the main supporting bout, AJ Banal will again see action and continue his pursuit of a world crown when he trade mitts with the grizzled veteran “Cecilio “Boga” Santos who was a former 5 times regional WBO, WBC and WBA Champion.