Melligen, Concepcion beat rivals in Las Vegas

Mark Jason Melligen and Bernabe Concepcion gave the Philippines a rousing start in the Pinoy Power 3/Latin Fury 13 card, hacking out explosive victories Saturday at the Las Vegas Hilton (Sunday in Manila). Welterweight prospect Melligen overcame a sluggish start to stop Raymund Gatica in the sixth round, Examiner.Com reported. The Bacolod City native knocked down his previously unbeaten rival with a crushing left in the fifth and continued to turn the heat in the next stanza, sending Gatica down again for the last time at 2:36 of the sixth. Melligen, 23, thus got back on the winning track after yielding a split decision loss to Michael Rosales last November also in Las Vegas. Melligen improved to 17-2 while Gatica dropped to 11-1. Also rebounding from a disappointing performance the last time out was featherweight Concepcion, who hacked out a 10-round unanimous decision win over Mario Santiago. According to FightFan.com, Concepcion imposed his mastery over Santiago at the halfway point of the fight, eventually landing a right that sent the taller Puerto Rican down in the sixth stanza. Landing the heavier blows with more consistency all throughout, Concepcion earned the nod of the three judges, 98-91, 96-93, and 97-92, for his 28th win against three losses and one draw (15 KOs). The 22-year-old Concepcion, who was disqualified in his last fight against WBO featherweight champion Steven Luevano for punching after the bell to end the seventh round, is being eyed to challenge Juan Manuel Lopez this spring, FightFan reported. Melligen and Concepcion saw action in the undercard of the fight between WBA interim super flyweight champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash" Donaire and Manuel Vargas. - GMANews.TV