Melligen faces uphill battle vs. Mexican knockout artist

CEBU, Philippines – Rising ALA Stable star Mark Jason Melligen has impressively won all his three fights in the United States this year.

Melligen deserved to be given due credit for that, but the Bacolod City-native punching dynamo should face the reality that he is yet to hurdle an acid test to prove his true value in the lucrative US boxing market.

And that would be against the Mexican power-hitter Michel “El Bravo” Rosales when they collide in the undercard of the interim WBA super flyweight championship bout between Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire and Panamian Rafael “El Torito” Concepcion on August 15 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

While Melligen wields a shining credential he further spotlighted by planting a blackeye on the comebacking former pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather during a sparring session, Rosales poses as a danger zone in his road to glory.Towering at 5-foot-11, the 26-year-old Rosales is a certified knockout artist having sent 21 of his 24 foes into the dreamland.

However, there is one thing that would be of Melligen’s delight. Rosales seems to be a reckless ring tiger as he suffered all his three defeats also vis stoppage.

Rosales absorbed his previous setback at the hands of Saul Alvarez via 10th round TKO last April 11 Gimnasio Niños Héroes in Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico. Two months later, Rosales bounced back with fire in his eyes, eking out a majority decision victory over Luis Fernando Uribe to snatch the WBC FECOMBOX light middleweight title.

The other factors that will likely confront the 23-year-old Melligen is that Rosales is four inches taller than him, bigger and heavier.

But in an earlier interview a day after his arrival from the US last week, Melligen, bold and daring as ever, said he doesn’t care who is his next opponent so long as he has proper training and conditioning. In fact, he is even willing to challenge Mayweather if opportunity permits.

Above all, Melligen also possesses sledge-hammer fists having flattened 11 of his 15 victims, the latest was a stunning second round KO of Fabian Luque two days ago at the Gimnasio Oscar “Tigre” García in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.

That too is something that should be a cause of worry for Rosales. – THE FREEMAN