MARK MELLIGEN vs MICHEL ROSALES

With Manny Pacquaio starring in the year’s biggest fight on Saturday it is appropriate that Filipino fighters are featured on Top Rank’s night-before show in Las Vegas (TV coverage on Azteca America).

Three Filipino fighters are on the bill, and I particularly like the look of the welterweight bout between southpaw Mark Melligen and the crowd-pleasing Mexican fighter Michel Rosales.

Melligen lost by knockout in Korea almost three years ago but he has won his last 10 fights, the last four of which have been in the U.S.

I was at ringside for Melligen’s fight with Ramon Montano in Las Vegas on May 1 and was impressed with his movement and sharp counter punching. Montano was game and willing but he couldn’t get into the fight and at one point showed his frustration by gesturing to Melligen to stand still and trade punches, but the Filipino boxer wouldn't oblige him and boxed his way to a comfortable win. Melligen was later seen on the Pinoy Power PPV show in August when he beat up the faded Ernesto Zepeda in four rounds.

Rosales is a real test for Melligen and might even be the toughest opponent he has faced. Although Rosales was stopped in seven rounds by the unbeaten Mike Alvarado 19 months ago I believe he might have been weight-drained at 140 pounds. Rosales moved up to welterweight after the fight and has won four of his last five bouts, losing by stoppage in 10 rounds against the undefeated and very promising Saul Alvarez.

In his last fight, Rosales maintained constant pressure to win on points against an unbeaten fighter named Luis Uribe, so he is coming into Friday’s fight on a high note.

Rosales’s forward-moving, busy-punching style against Melligen’s smart boxing and crisp countering should make for a highly pleasing contest. Rosales is hittable but his attack tends to be his best defence as he seeks to back up his opponents and swarm over them.

Melligen, 23, is the favourite but this isn’t one of those showcase fights — Rosales will be coming to win and he is no stranger to long, hard fights.

If Melligen is to continue his upward progression, these are the type of fights he has to win. I am expecting Melligen to get past Rosales, probably on points, but I don’t think it will be easy.