The Filipino boxing scene is one of the hottest right now and that's due to the huge number of prospects the country has. In the past I've looked at Milan Melindo, Sylvester Lopez and Froilan Saludar and it's time to add the name of unbeaten rising star Genesis Servania (16-0, 5) to our little ensemble.
Born in 1991 Genesis is one of the "babies" of professional boxing though is a fighter who is almost certainly a star in the making and is already climbing up through the boxrec and IBO top 100 at Super Bantamweight which is a division that Genesis has grown into since his debut back in 2009. In his debut Genesis weighed just 108lbs as he defeated Mike Espanosa (TKO2) and swiftly followed it up with 6 more wins in the next 12 months as he kept busy and kept growing and by the time he stopped Melchor Abcede (KO6) Genesis had become a fully blown Bantamweight.
Genesis had quickly and quietly gone about his business racking up wins against lower tier opposition with out too many problems, though he did struggle against Jun Piacidad winning just a split decision against the more experienced opponent in Genesis' first foray into the 8 round distance. Despite the fact he had been taking out pointing lower level opposition it seemed only a matter of time before until Genesis would have to step up and in 2011 he faced his first name fighter in Gerson Guerrero. Guerrero, a former title contender took an impressive record of 34-8 (26) into the bout against the then 14-0 (5) Servania, despite the difference in experience Servania was too big and too Fresh for his well respected Mexican opponent.
Servania has picked up a solitary win since defeating Guerrero though now finds himself in another test as he faces tough Kenyan Nick Otieno (21-7, 9). Although Otieno isn't a world level boxer he has recently fought for the Commonwealth Bantamweight title against Jamie McDonnell and has also lost to the talented Alexander Bakhtin so he has certainly mixed with a better class of opposition than Servania. Saying that however we would expect the young Filipino to defeat Otieno over the distance.
Showing posts with label Filipino. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Filipino. Show all posts
Tuesday, 28 February 2012
Tuesday, 24 January 2012
Milan Melindo
At just 23 years years old Filipino prospect Milan Melindo (25-0, 9) may well be one of the most nailed on future champions in the sport. Born in Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental though now based in Cebu City, Cebu Melindo is a fighter who has flown under the radar amazingly well despite some of the sweetest skills in the sport and one of the most under-rated records of any fighter out there, in fact some may argue with even classing him as a prospect.
Melindo started boxing as a youngster and there are reports that he fought over 500 amateur bouts, including winning gold twice at the Palarong Pambansa (the Filipino national games). Melindo would then turn professional way back in 2005 aged just 17 by winning a decision on his debut against Meljun Grumo and since then he has slowly crafted a very solid career.
After 2 years as a professional Melindo picked up his first title when he defeated Pongpan Patanakan Gym for the WBO Asia Pacific minimumweight title. Less than a year later Melindo would add the WBA Inter-Continental light flyweight title to trophy cabinet, though it wasn't until his 18th fight that Melindo proved his class as he faced former world champion Muhammad Rachman. At the time Rachman's record stood at an impressive 62-6-5 with only a single loss in the previous decade (a narrow points loss to the power punching Florante Condes) with Melindo seen as taking a giant step up in class. Melindo would be too quick for Rachmann who despite never giving up looked to be a level behind the young speedy upstart who took a clear unanimous decision and put the first big name on his record.
Following the win over Rachman it would have made sense for Melindo to push on with his career though instead he had 4 fights against lesser opponents (including 2 time PABA Super Flyweight champion Komrit Lukkuongmuekol) as he spent the following 18 months remaining busy. It wasn't until November 2010 that Melindo would again mix with world level level fighters as he faced former IBF Flyweight champion Carlos Tamara. In his previous bout Tamara had controversially lost the IBF title to Argentinian Luis Alberto Lazarte though at times Melindo make it look easy as he took a wide decision over Tamara to claim the second scalp of a former world title holder.
Again it looked like time for Melindo to kick on with things and start challenging for world titles of his own, though instead he decided to blow out Mexican veteran Rosendo Vega (KO1). Again it looked like Melindo's momentum had been killed off until he returned to the ring in September 2011 and defeated former title challenger Francisco Rosas. Despite Rosas weighing more on the scales than Melindo the Filipino eased to victory as he forced Rosas to retire after 10 one sided rounds.
Melindo will defend his WBO Inter-Continental flyweight title this coming weekend as he faces Juan Esquer, Melindo is expected to defeated Esquer (a former world title challenger himself). Whilst Melindo has perhaps padded his record somewhat it is impressive that 23 year old already holds wins over 2 former champions and looks to add a second title challenger to his record. Though hopefully this will be the last fight for Melindo, a supremely talented and lightning quick fighter, before he looks for a world title fight of his own. Whilst his division is one of the tougher ones (with champions including future hall of famer Pongsaklek Wonjongkam, My 2011Fighter of the Year Brian Viloria, the hard hitting Hernan "Tyson" Marquez and South African Moruti Mthalane) he has the skills to hold his own with any of them.
Video below thanks to MrPacman4ever
Melindo started boxing as a youngster and there are reports that he fought over 500 amateur bouts, including winning gold twice at the Palarong Pambansa (the Filipino national games). Melindo would then turn professional way back in 2005 aged just 17 by winning a decision on his debut against Meljun Grumo and since then he has slowly crafted a very solid career.
After 2 years as a professional Melindo picked up his first title when he defeated Pongpan Patanakan Gym for the WBO Asia Pacific minimumweight title. Less than a year later Melindo would add the WBA Inter-Continental light flyweight title to trophy cabinet, though it wasn't until his 18th fight that Melindo proved his class as he faced former world champion Muhammad Rachman. At the time Rachman's record stood at an impressive 62-6-5 with only a single loss in the previous decade (a narrow points loss to the power punching Florante Condes) with Melindo seen as taking a giant step up in class. Melindo would be too quick for Rachmann who despite never giving up looked to be a level behind the young speedy upstart who took a clear unanimous decision and put the first big name on his record.
Following the win over Rachman it would have made sense for Melindo to push on with his career though instead he had 4 fights against lesser opponents (including 2 time PABA Super Flyweight champion Komrit Lukkuongmuekol) as he spent the following 18 months remaining busy. It wasn't until November 2010 that Melindo would again mix with world level level fighters as he faced former IBF Flyweight champion Carlos Tamara. In his previous bout Tamara had controversially lost the IBF title to Argentinian Luis Alberto Lazarte though at times Melindo make it look easy as he took a wide decision over Tamara to claim the second scalp of a former world title holder.
Again it looked like time for Melindo to kick on with things and start challenging for world titles of his own, though instead he decided to blow out Mexican veteran Rosendo Vega (KO1). Again it looked like Melindo's momentum had been killed off until he returned to the ring in September 2011 and defeated former title challenger Francisco Rosas. Despite Rosas weighing more on the scales than Melindo the Filipino eased to victory as he forced Rosas to retire after 10 one sided rounds.
Melindo will defend his WBO Inter-Continental flyweight title this coming weekend as he faces Juan Esquer, Melindo is expected to defeated Esquer (a former world title challenger himself). Whilst Melindo has perhaps padded his record somewhat it is impressive that 23 year old already holds wins over 2 former champions and looks to add a second title challenger to his record. Though hopefully this will be the last fight for Melindo, a supremely talented and lightning quick fighter, before he looks for a world title fight of his own. Whilst his division is one of the tougher ones (with champions including future hall of famer Pongsaklek Wonjongkam, My 2011Fighter of the Year Brian Viloria, the hard hitting Hernan "Tyson" Marquez and South African Moruti Mthalane) he has the skills to hold his own with any of them.
Video below thanks to MrPacman4ever
Wednesday, 11 May 2011
Sylvester Lopez
You won't often see a fighter with a record of 15-3-1 (11) being called a great prospect but Sylvester Lopez is a rare exception to the rule. The 23 year old Filipino could easily have been 16-2-1 (12) had a referee not made an awful call against him late last year in a fight that will be explained later on.
Sylvester (also spelt Silvester) Lopez made his professional debut in 2006 when he was 18 years old and he would beat Joey Balmes over a 4 decision. This was followed by 3 more wins as the youngster climbed to 4-0 (2) as nobody opponents in his homeland before suffering 2 losses and a draw in his following 3 fights to fall to 4-2-1 (2). He was then 20 years old and hadn't seemed to settle into a boxing weight, he had dropped from 114lbs in his debut to 103lbs 8 months later and it seemed to take the bad results to get him to fight in a division he was comfortable and strong in, it appeared that weight was going to be the Super Flyweight (115lbs) division).
In just his 12th bout Lopez would win the WBC International Super Flyweight title stopping the then unbeaten South Korean Jong-Nam Park for the title. Lopez would defend this title 2-times in total over 15 months as well as winning 3-none title fights. The title fight wins are the interesting results and probably the best sign of just how good Lopez actually is. The first defence came against Katsumi Makiyama, a fighter who had previously been in with Chatchai Sasakul and Medgoen Singsurat, Lopez managed to beat Makiyama in the 5th round of an incredibly 1-sided affair. The second defence however came against the very experienced Thai Wandee Singwancha. Singwancha had been in more than 70 fights and had won more than 60 having had reigns as the WBC interim champion at Minimumweight and Light Flyweight. Lopez would stop Singwancha in the second round in an excellent performance.
Lopez had run up a record of 14-2-1 (10) though had only ever been fighting in the Philippines. In his first bout outside of his homeland he would travel to Mexico to face Rising Mexican Juan Jose Montes in a WBC title Eliminator. Montes entered the bout with a record of 18-1 (12) and a reputation as being a fighter on the rise. Montes would score an early knockdown on Lopez though Lopez mounted a spirited comeback and would open up a nasty cut over the eye of Montes from hard accurate punches. Montes kept touching his head as if to indicate that it was caused by a clash of heads though footage seems to show it was from a punch. The referee decided at the end of the 3rd round that it was caused by a clash of heads and as a result Lopez was deducted a point due to the WBC's rules. The cut would late end the fight in the fifth round and Montes took the win by technical decision, had the cut have been ruled to have come from a punch Lopez would have won by a TKO.
Since the controversial loss to Montes Lopez has fought once defeating Noel Sungahid and on this coming Saturday Lopez returns to the ring to face Everardo Morales. Morales has a record of 34-16-2-1(23) in a career that has seen him facing the likes of Koki Kameda, Tomas Rojas and Hugo Fidel Cazares so a win for Lopez will have him in good company.
Lopez isn't the best young fighter from the Philippines though he is one worth making a note of already.
Sylvester (also spelt Silvester) Lopez made his professional debut in 2006 when he was 18 years old and he would beat Joey Balmes over a 4 decision. This was followed by 3 more wins as the youngster climbed to 4-0 (2) as nobody opponents in his homeland before suffering 2 losses and a draw in his following 3 fights to fall to 4-2-1 (2). He was then 20 years old and hadn't seemed to settle into a boxing weight, he had dropped from 114lbs in his debut to 103lbs 8 months later and it seemed to take the bad results to get him to fight in a division he was comfortable and strong in, it appeared that weight was going to be the Super Flyweight (115lbs) division).
In just his 12th bout Lopez would win the WBC International Super Flyweight title stopping the then unbeaten South Korean Jong-Nam Park for the title. Lopez would defend this title 2-times in total over 15 months as well as winning 3-none title fights. The title fight wins are the interesting results and probably the best sign of just how good Lopez actually is. The first defence came against Katsumi Makiyama, a fighter who had previously been in with Chatchai Sasakul and Medgoen Singsurat, Lopez managed to beat Makiyama in the 5th round of an incredibly 1-sided affair. The second defence however came against the very experienced Thai Wandee Singwancha. Singwancha had been in more than 70 fights and had won more than 60 having had reigns as the WBC interim champion at Minimumweight and Light Flyweight. Lopez would stop Singwancha in the second round in an excellent performance.
Lopez had run up a record of 14-2-1 (10) though had only ever been fighting in the Philippines. In his first bout outside of his homeland he would travel to Mexico to face Rising Mexican Juan Jose Montes in a WBC title Eliminator. Montes entered the bout with a record of 18-1 (12) and a reputation as being a fighter on the rise. Montes would score an early knockdown on Lopez though Lopez mounted a spirited comeback and would open up a nasty cut over the eye of Montes from hard accurate punches. Montes kept touching his head as if to indicate that it was caused by a clash of heads though footage seems to show it was from a punch. The referee decided at the end of the 3rd round that it was caused by a clash of heads and as a result Lopez was deducted a point due to the WBC's rules. The cut would late end the fight in the fifth round and Montes took the win by technical decision, had the cut have been ruled to have come from a punch Lopez would have won by a TKO.
Since the controversial loss to Montes Lopez has fought once defeating Noel Sungahid and on this coming Saturday Lopez returns to the ring to face Everardo Morales. Morales has a record of 34-16-2-1(23) in a career that has seen him facing the likes of Koki Kameda, Tomas Rojas and Hugo Fidel Cazares so a win for Lopez will have him in good company.
Lopez isn't the best young fighter from the Philippines though he is one worth making a note of already.
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