Melindo hopeful in latest title clash
THE Ryder Cup, one of golf’s most awaited tournaments worldwide, teed off yesterday featuring the best of the U.S. tangling with Europe’s cream of the crop.
The tournament venue in Paris is the Le Nacional, where I had fond memories of my coverage there of the Philippine participation in the 1994 World Team Golf Championship. One was when my compadre, Jake P. Ayson, had to caddy for Mars Pucay when Pucay’s French bagtoter failed to arrive in Round One.
We celebrated Jake’s feat by downing a bottle of red wine at dinner that day.
For his celebrated comeback win on Sept. 23, Tiger Woods has taken much of the luster of the Ryder Cup, drawing crowds from his practice round up to when he teed off yesterday with Patrick Reed as his partner. If the Ryder Cup should transform into a Tiger Show, so be it. Thank you, Tiger. Golf is once again healthy.
__________________ JERWIN Ancajas fights again today not only to defend his IBF world bantamweight title but also to restore his ego and pride that got sullied a bit only a while back. That’s because in his last fight only last May, Ancajas barely eked out MILAN “El Metodico” Melindo is prepped and ready for his world title fight next Sunday against International Boxing Federation light flyweight king Ken Shiro in Yokohama, Japan.
Melindo said in his press conference before leaving for Japan that he didn’t have any trouble making weight for this fight.
“Honestly, I didn’t have any problem because my weight reduction was gradual and I’ve been training for a while. I’m also very happy that I was chosen to be his challenger. I think they saw that I can last 12 rounds and that the fans will really be entertained,” said Melindo, who has a 373, 13KO record.
Edmund Villamor, Melindo’s trainer, said he believes his ward has a big chance of snagging the title from Shiro, who has 13-0, 7KO record. He also said that they have been studying the style of Shiro.
“Our plan is to counter-punch. He loves to get in so that’s what we will be looking for. However, he also knows how to get away from trouble,” said Villamor.
This is Melindo’s first fight in Japan since losing his WBO title in a unification bout with IBF champion Ryoichi Taguchi last December.
“I think I did well in our last fight, that’s why they chose me. But I admit it’s really difficult if you’re fighting in foreign soil,” said the former champion.
Melindo, together with coaches Edito and Edmund Villamor, will leave for Japan on Oct. 1. is currently seven pounds over the limit but he is confident of shedding that before the weigh-in.
“I think we did almost 100 rounds of sparring but our focus is more on the style of the other guy. I think the speed of Melindo is still there, he wasn’t affected by the long lay off because he’s been training for a while.
The 26-year-old Shiro is a former OPBF light flyweight champion and a former WBC youth world light flyweight champion.