Kapwa nakabalik sa winning column sina world rated Arthur Villanueva at Milan Melindo ng Pilipinas laban sa mga karibal na Mexican kamakalawa ng gabi sa ‘Pinoy Pride 34: Back with a Vengeance’ card sa Hoops Dome, Lapulapu City, Cebu.
Naging mataktika ang laban ni Villanueva kay Victor ‘Spock’ Mendez pero muntik bumagsak at nayanig ang Mexican sa 9th round kaya nagwagi siya sa 10-round split decision para matamo ang WBC international super flyweight belt.
“Filipino judge Benigno Peñafiel had it 116-112 for Villanueva, Filipino judge Samson Libres had it 117-111 for Villanueva and Mexican judge Humberto Olivarez had it 115-113 for Mendez,” ayon sa ulat ng Philboxing.com. “With the win, Villanueva improves to 28-1-0 with 14 stoppages while Mendez dropped to 12-3-2.”
Bunga nito, nakabawi si Villanueva sa kontrobersiyal na 10th round technical decision na pagkatalo kay McJoe Arroyo ng Puerto Rico para sa IBF super flyweight crown noong nakaraang Hulyo sa El Paso, Texas sa United States at inaasahang aangat siya sa world rankings.
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Kinailangan namang kunin ni Melindo ang 8th at 9th round upang matiyak ang panalo via 10-round split decision at palasapin ng unang pagkatalo si MexicanVictor Emanuel Olivo.
“Two-time world title challenger Milan ‘El Metodico’ Milendo got into a real fight with 19-year-old Mexican, who had only 9 fights before Saturday’s event, and needed a big 8th and 9th rounds to escape with a split decision victory,” ayon sa ulat. “Melindo connected with a hard right in the 8th round that staggered Olivo and followed it up with a dominant 9th round. But Olivo refused to wilt under pressure and snatched the last round.”
“Judges Salven Lagumbay and Edgar Olalo scored 96-94 in favor of Melindo while judge Edward Ligas gave the nod to Olivo, 96-94. All three judges gave Melindo the 8th and 9th rounds while Olivo got the 10th round from the three judges as well,” dagdag sa ulat.
Galing din sa kontrobersiyal na pagkatalo via 6th round technical decision si Melindo kay Mexican Javier Mendoza dahil itinigil ang laban sa putok nito sa kaliwang kilay na napatunayan sa Video na mula sa suntok ng Pilipino sa kanilang laban para sa IBF light flyweight title noong Hulyo sa Baja California, Mexico.
Naibawi naman ni Kevin Jake ‘KJ’ Cataraja ang ka-stable na si dating WBO minimumweight champion Merlito Sabillo na talunin niya via 4th round TKO si Faris Nenggo of Indonesia. Si Nenggo ang naka-upset sa 5th round TKO na panalo kay Sabillo noong nakaraang taon sa laban sa Cebu City rin pero wala siyang ibinuga kay Cataraja na nasa ikalawang laban pa lamang.
Nanalo rin si two-time wold title challenger AJ ‘Bazooka’ Banal nang mapatigil niya sa 3rd round si dating East and Central Africal 126 pounds champion Emilio Norfat ng Tanzania sa kanilang 10 round featherweight bout.
Nagwagi rin sa kanyang comeback fight si Rocky ‘The Road Warrior’ Fuentes nang mapatigil sa 2nd round si Indonesian Afrizal Tamboresi kaya inaasahang makababalik siya sa world rankings. - Gilbert Espeña
