INQUIRER Sports

LAS VEGAS—Z “The Dream” Gorres, the only Filipino fighter to win his bout Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay’s House of Blues, was the only one who didn’t make it out of the venue conscious.

The talented RP bantamweight, who defeated Colombian Luis Melendez via a 10-round decision, fainted after the bout and lapsed into a coma.

He was later taken to the University Medical Center here where he is currently undergoing surgery for head trauma.

Gorres (30-2-2, 15 KOs), controlled a majority of the match and knocked down his Colombian foe in the third round. He got rocked by Melendez (26-4-1, 21KOs) in the final minute of the match, but managed to get up and hang on until the final bell.

However, witnesses present at ringside said Gorres wobbled through the post-fight announcement that had him winning with scores of 98-90, 98-90, 97-91. He then collapsed and was taken out of the venue in a stretcher.

Reports have it that a neurosurgeon, Dr. Michael Seiff, had to remove a part of Gorres’ skull during surgery to relieve the swelling of his brain.

The two other Filipino boxers who fought Friday night, on the eve of the Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto super fight, lost their bouts.

Mark Melligen lost a split decision to Mexican Michel Rosales in their welterweight bout while Federico Catubay lost via unanimous decision to another Mexican, Alberto Rosas.