Melindo plans to move up to flyweight

Former world champion Milan Melindo hopes to get a second division world crown as he plans on moving up to the flyweight division.

“He has not decided yet but he is contemplating. With Donnie (Nietes) moving up, it could be a possibility that he will be campaigning at 112,” ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer told SunStar Cebu. “Nothing is definite yet but Milan thinks 112 could be his weight now. He mentioned he still has to think about it. But that’s his focus now.” Nietes, Melindo’s teammate in the ALA Boxing Gym, recently vacated his International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight belt after moving up to the stacked super flyweight division, in search of his fourth division world title.

“I can still make weight (at 108) but I want to move up to a bigger division,” said Melindo.

Melindo moved up to the flyweight division in 2010 when he was still 22 years old. He had much success at 112 pounds, beating the likes of former world champions Carlos Tamara, Jean Piero Perez, and Jesus Geles. He also showed his improved power in the heavier weight division, knocking out seven of his oppo- nents, more than 50 percent of his recorded knockouts.

Melindo, however, got derailed in his first world title shot following a lopsided unanimous decision defeat to then World Boxing Organization (WBO) and World Boxing Association (WBA) flyweight king Juan Francisco Estrada at the Cotai Arena in Macau in 2013.

Melindo decided to move back down to light flyweight, where he became full-fledged world champion by beating then IBF flyweight titleholder Akira Yaegashi in a stunning first-round knockout last year in Japan. His reign was short-lived, though, as he lost his IBF belt in his second title defense against Ryoichi Taguchi by unanimous decision in Japan.

“Right now, better at 112 because he’s getting older,” said Aldeguer. /