INQUIRER Sports

Reports coming out of Las Vegas have it that Filipino boxing prospect Mark Jason Melligen was toying with Marcos Maidana during their sparring sessions at the Mayweather Gym before the latter defeated Victor Ortiz yesterday.

"The guy who won against Victor Orti z which is Marcos Maidana could not hit Mark Jason Melligen. I was at all the sparring sessions with Mark and Marcos, Mark would just toy around with Maidana and stagger him a couple of times," said a Pacland forum member who said he was at the gym several times to see the sparring for himself.

"The gameplan with Mark was to jab and counter, keeping Marcos moving backwards. Victor did not fight the right fight, he should have boxed and moved around," added the source, adding that Mark Jason Melligen will become a world champion someday.

Meanwhile, Las Vegas-based trainer Tony Martin has informed that unknown to fans, four days before Melligens fight in Mexico, the fighter received news that his grandfather had passed away which upset him and for a period of time could not focus on the fight.

"Anyway, i took him to one side and told him for sure his grandfather would want him to do well, therefore dedicate the fight to him, of which he did," said Martin.

"I hope the boxing fans in the Philippines are proud of him, as I am sure his grandfather was looking down on him from above.

Martin also thanked two German sister's Sandra and Simmone Wciorka at Mayweather's Gym.

"They are both graphic designers. Well we are good friends, and they are big fans of Melligen. They designed a T- shirt, coming up with the name "Mighty Mark". It seems the name has caught on in the Philippines. Well we owe it to these girls. Lets give them a big Thank You.