Gorres eyed for Manny undercard

MANILA, Philippines - WBO No. 3 bantamweight contender Z Gorres is under consideration to face top-ranked Eric Morel of Puerto Rico in the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto bout on Nov. 14 but ALA Boxing Gym owner Tony Aldeguer said yesterday it’s likely the “Dream” will take on another opponent at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas the day before.

Gorres, who was recently signed to a promotional contract by Top Rank, is coming off a sixth round technical knockout win over Cruz Cristobal in Tepic, Mexico, last month and is ripe for another world title shot.

In 2007, Gorres nearly wrested the WBO superflyweight crown from Fernando Montiel in Cebu and dropped a split 12-round decision. Judge Denny Nelson scored it 115-111 for Gorres but the other judges Raul Caiz saw it 115-111 and Chuck Giampa, 114-112, both for the Mexican.

Since the heartbreaking loss to Montiel, Gorres has been unbeaten in five fights, including a split draw with roughhouser Vic Darchinyan who was decked by the “Dream” in the second round of their Cebu brawl last year. Gorres would’ve beaten Darchinyan by majority decision but Filipino judge Jonathan Davis saw it 114-112 for the Australian.

Aldeguer said he has not been informed by Top Rank of the possibility of a Morel bout. “We were just told that Gorres is fighting on Nov. 13,” he added. “The Morel fight is just a rumor. He’s not fighting Morel as far we know. We are still clueless on Gorres’ opponent.”

But the website boxrec.com has listed a Gorres-Morel fight for the interim WBO bantamweight crown in the Pacquiao-Cotto undercard at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Montiel, now the WBO bantamweight titleholder, is tentatively set to stake his crown against Gerry Peñalosa in Cancun on Dec. 19 but the fight is up in the air as the Mexican is still recovering from the deep cut he suffered in a controversial technical draw with Alejandro Perez last month. Montiel was down in the second round and bled profusely from a cut when the fight was stopped in the third. Perez was initially declared the winner by stoppage but the outcome was later reversed to a technical draw.

Morel, 34, is unbeaten in his last six outings and beat Roberto Bonilla on points last March to raise his record to 41-2, with 21 KOs, compared to Gorres’ 30-2-2, with 17 KOs. Morel has been foiled in two bids for a world title, losing a decision to Lorenzo Parra for the WBA flyweight crown in 2003 and another decision to Martin Castillo for the WBA superflyweight diadem in 2005.

Aldeguer, however, confirmed that another ALA fighter Mark Jason Melligen, ranked No. 15 superlightweight by the WBA, will take on 5-11 slugger Michel Rosales at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on Nov. 12.

“Melligen has been in Vegas for sometime now and has been training at the Mayweather Gym where he spars regularly with Ramon Montano whose next opponent is Zab Judah,” said Aldeguer. “Melligen is really attracting a lot of attention and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. himself has predicted a great future for him.”

Melligen, 23, has won his last 10 bouts, seven by knockout including two in the first round. Last August, he halted Ernesto Zepeda in four at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Melligen has fought his last four fights in the US and Mexico.

Rosales, 26, has won four of his last five assignments and boasts a 24-3 record, with 21 KOs. Melligen, a southpaw, has a record of 16-1, with 12 KOs. His only loss was a stoppage in the seventh round by Young Sun Kim in Seoul in 2007.

Meanwhile, Aldeguer said international matchmaker Sampson Lewkowicz has signed up Mexico’s Ivan Meneses to challenge WBO minimumweight champion /Donnie (Ahas) Nietes at the Cuneta Astrodome on Dec. 5. It will be in the undercard of the main event featuring Brian Viloria defending his IBF lightflyweight crown against Omar (Nino) Romero.

Meneses, the No. 11 WBO contender, was once pencilled to face another ALA Boy Milan Melindo, the unbeaten WBO Asia Pacific minimumweight titleholder. But Meneses backed out. Instead, Mexican prospect Guadalupe Martinez fought Melindo at the Cuneta Astrodome last Oct. 3. Martinez arrived with his manager Nacho Huizar and close friend former WBC/WBA superflyweight champion Cristian Mijares. Melindo pounded out a 10-round decision. Aldeguer said Huizar and Mijares couldn’t believe their promising protégé was bloodied and clobbered by Melindo.

Martinez came with an impressive record of 19-1, with 17 KOs. Melindo is 19-0, with five KOs.

“Melindo is really very talented and I can say without batting an eyelash he is by far the most skilful of all my boxers, past and present,” said Aldeguer. “He was particularly spectacular in beating Martinez.”