INQUIRER Sports

Top Rank big boss Bob Arum has expressed high hopes that his ward Mark Jason Melligen is going to go far in his boxing career, describing the Bacolod-raised junior welterweight as a "terrific fighter."

Las Vegas-based trainer/cutman Tony Martin, in an interview with this writer, said that the Harvard-educated lawyer Arum likes what he saw in Melligen over the weekend, where he easily stopped Mexican Fabian Luque in two rounds, "and wants to see him again fight on August 15."

Melligen (15-1, 11 KO's), a former amateur boxing standout before he turned pro, has been included by Top Rank to see action in a card to be held at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas against a soon-to-be-named foe.

The card will be headlined by Nonito Donaire Jr going up in weight to fight Hugo Cazares for the vacant WBA interim superflyweight title. The co-headline features WBO featherweight king Steven Luevano defending against Filipino Bernabe Concepcion.

The win over Luque was actually Melligen's third since hooking up with Tony Martin in Las Vegas. Early this year, he stopped Gerardo Prieto in Colorado, and followed it up with a decision win over former David Diaz challenger Ramon Montano.

Melligen is set to arrive in the country tomorrow, take a much-needed rest before flying back to Las Vegas to resume training.