Melindo yields crown in Tokyo

MANILA, Philippines — Milan Melindo lost his IBF junior-flyweight crown at a time the world was welcoming the New Year.

The Filipino boxer bowed to Ryoichi Taguchi in a bloody battle of champions Sunday evening at the Ota City General Gymnasium in Tokyo.

The Japanese who held on to the WBA crown went home with Melindo’s IBF belt after pulling off a unanimous decision.

Melindo gave it all and bled heavily from multiple cuts, suffered very early and late in the fight due to clash of heads.

The Filipino camp offered no excuses after the fight held on New Year’s Eve.

 “We lost to a better fighter. It was a great fight,” said Melindo’s trainer, Edito Villamor.

The fighter from Cagayan de Oro had his best moments in the first two rounds but was slowed down by a cut over his left eye three rounds into the fight.

It was Taguchi (27-2-2) who controlled the fight from thereon even as Melindo, making the second defense of his title, rallied in the ninth.

By this time, Melindo had suffered a second cut, this time over his right eye, and was visibly hampered. Taguchi bled from his own cut.

Melindo, now 37-3, had no other choice but to wage war.

In the 12th and final round, another clash of heads made things worse for Melindo. 

In the end, two judges scored it 117-111 and another one had it 116-111, all for the new unified champion from Japan.

Melindo’s defeat leaves only two Filipino world champions – IBF flyweight king Donnie Nietes and IBF super-flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas.