Melindo KOs foe, snares world title
Philippine interim champion Milan Melindo watches Japanese champion Akira Yaegashi fall during their IBF light flyweight boxing unified champion match in Tokyo yesterday. Melindo won the title by a knockout in the first round. SUMIO YAMADA
MANILA, Philippines - Milan Melindo buried bitter memories of his failed attempts at the world title by scoring a stunning first-round knockout win against Japan’s Akira Yaegashi last night at the Ariake Colosseum in Tokyo.
The 29-year-old Melindo of the famed ALA boxing stable of Cebu City climbed the ring even more determined to become a world champion. He was rewarded with the IBF light-flyweight crown.
According to Japanese matchmaker and journalist Joe Koizumi, Melindo dropped the erstwhile Japanese champion with a left hook midway through the opening round.
Melindo used the same punch to floor Yaegashi a second time, and then finished off his opponent with a crackling left-right combination. The end came at the 2:45 mark.
The referee, Eddie Hernandez of the United States, did not bother to count and signaled the end of the bout, according to Koizumi, who helped manage the career of Filipino ex-world champion Luisito Espinosa.
“Yaegashi’s quick humiliation by Melindo wasn’t expected by any of the spectators,” said Koizumi, now a boxing journalist for www.fightnews.com.
“It was so surprising that Yaegashi, well-known by his durability and gameness, so quickly suffered a shocking defeat at the hand of the Filipino battler who wasn’t regarded as a hard-puncher,” Koizumi added.
Melindo (36-2 with 13 knockouts) is finally a world champion after bitter losses in world title fights to Juan Francisco Estrada in 2013 and Javier Mendoza in 2015.
It was not reported if Yaegashi (25-6 with 13 knockouts) sought an immediate rematch or if one was stipulated in their fight contract.
The native of Cagayan de Oro joins Manny Pacquiao (WBO welterweight), Jerwin Ancajas (IBF junior-bantamweight) and Donnie Nietes (IBF flyweight) as Filipino world champions.
Days to the title fight in Tokyo, Melindo promised “an amazing fight,” telling Japanese reporters that he trained five months for the fight and in one session sparred 22 rounds against seven boxers.
Melindo delivered as promised.
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