Melligen winds down training, ready to go to war on Friday the 13th

November 6, 1:43 PMFilipino Sports ExaminerDennis "dSource" Guillermo

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 Mark Melligen (AP Photo)

Halloween may be done and over with but if Michel Rosales didn't get his spooks last weekend, "Mighty" Mark Melligen is more than willing to provide on Friday the 13th next week at the Mandalay Bay House of Blues in Las Vegas.

I caught up with Melligen Friday morning, a week before he steps back in the ring after his sensational showing in Pinoy Power 2 last August, and will be doing so against his original opponent for the said card, Michel Rosales. 

Melligen had just finished his morning jog and was about to hit the mitts and continue his preparations at the Mayweather Gym in Las Vegas where he is currently training together with his trainers Tony Martin and Edmund Villamor. "I feel good and I'm already in great shape to fight," Melligen told me when I asked him about his conditioning for his bout. 

Melligen did his last sparring session on Thursday and is chomping at the bit to get back inside the ring. His Mexican opponent Rosales, who was scrapped at the last minute of their original fight scheduled last August for failing to secure a visa is no pushover. He holds a record of 24-3-0 with 21 wins going by way of knockout and his last win came at the hands of another young prospect Luis Fernando Uribe who was undefeated at 21-0 last June. All indications lead to an explosive fight worthy perhaps of stealing the show, which Melligen did in his last fight when he won by a 4th round TKO against Ernesto Zepeda in the under card of Pinoy Power 2.

Melligen will be joined by fellow ALA Gym stablemate Z Gorres, who is also fighting on the same card, together with trainer Edito Villamor on the 11th. Gorres is currently busy training with Villamor at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood together with the People's Champ himself Manny Pacquiao who is fighting Miguel Cotto on the 14th at the MGM Grand.

Don't sleep on the 13th as Melligen together with Gorres, kick-off the festivities for perhaps the biggest boxing weekend of the year especially for Pinoy fight fans. Melligen is one of the young bright stars primed to carry the torch for Philippine boxing long after Pacquiao hangs up his gloves. His potential is well summed up by Floyd Mayweather Jr. himself when he said, “Mark is my boy. He will be a world champ someday." To those who believe that Pinoy boxing is nothing but a one-trick pony, you don't have to look far to catch a glimpse at it's bright future as yet another young Filipino star in Melligen aims to leave his "Mark" for the small but talent-rich country in the Pacific.

Circle Friday the 13th on your calendars next week as Melligen promises to give it his all and exorcise all superstitious notions about the said date. And in closing Mark wanted to share this message to his fans and suppporters:

"Thank you for all your support, and I hope you won't ever get tired of supporting me together with all the other Filipino boxers fighting for our country's honor. I will do my best on November 13 and I hope you can watch my fight. Thank you."

Writer's Note: I will be guesting on The Boxing Truth radio show this Sunday night. Click the link for further details.

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