Taguchi outslugs Melindo to win bloody unification fight

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Milan Melindo’s quest to become unified champion has ended with a bloody unanimous decision loss to Ryoichi Taguchi on New Year’s Eve at the Ota-City General Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan.

Taguchi (27-2-2, 12 knockouts) added the IBF 108-pound belt to the WBA title he was defending for the seventh time, earning marks of 117-111 on two cards and 116-111 on the third. Taguchi also won the vacant Ring magazine junior flyweight title with the victory.

Melindo (37-3, 13 KOs) controlled the first two rounds, setting up body shots and counter punches upstairs with his snappy jab. Just as was the case in his previous fight, a split-decision win over Hekkie Budler in September, cuts would play a factor, with head clashes drawing blood from above both eyes at different points in the fight.

Taguchi, 31, began asserting control in the third and fourth rounds as the 29-year-old Melindo, hampered by a cut over his left eye in the third, abandoned the jab and slowed down, allowing Taguchi to get in and out with his shots. Melindo, the native of Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines making his second title defense, began to show desperation as torqued back and swung away with body shots and bringing the hook on top in the fifth.

Melindo’s momentum was slowed in the sixth with another head clash, opening a gash over the right eye this time. Taguchi controlled the seventh and eighth rounds. Melindo had a brief reemergence in the ninth round, returning to his left jab and landing body shots. As he stepped in for a body shot their heads clashed again, this time opening a cut high on Taguchi’s hairline. With Taguchi momentarily lacking composure, Melindo began to open up and land power punches to the head and body.

Sensing the fight slipping away, Taguchi came out strong for the tenth round, resulting in 3 minutes of nonstop slugging. As the round progressed it was Melindo who came away worse for wear as Taguchi dug in with left hooks to the body and connected with right hands through the guard.

Another head clash in the twelfth round drew more blood from above Melindo’s right eye, prompting a doctor’s visit with 90 seconds left.

Melindo had won the title in Japan this past May, scoring a first round stoppage of Akira Yaegashi in his third attempt at a world title.

The Philippines now has two current world champions left remaining, IBF junior bantamweight champ Jerwin Ancajas and IBF flyweight champ Donnie Nietes. 

The fight was carried live in Japan on TBS but was not shown live in the Philippines due to previously scheduled New Year’s Eve programming on ABS-CBN. The fight is being advertised for a delayed broadcast instead on January 2. – Rappler.com