Vengeful Domingo to dedicate bout to Z Gorres

Veteran bantamweight prospect Michael Domingo will be out for vengeance for a fallen comrade when he returns to the ring three weeks from now. Domingo is set to collide with Colombian Luis Melendez in the main event of a May 23 boxing card at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino. Melendez’s name of course, is no stranger to Filipino boxing fans. The Colombian is the same guy whom Z Gorres last fought in November before officially retiring from the sport. At the House of Blues of the Mandalay Bay Hotel last November, Gorres was on his way to winning his 10-round showdown with Melendez, who suddenly unleashed a single, lethal punch that sent the Filipino down to the canvas. Gorres managed to survive the round, and the fight, eking out a unanimous decision win, only to collapse in his corner shortly after he was announced the winner. The Filipino was later taken to the University Medical Center in Las Vegas, where he underwent neurosurgery to ease the swelling in his brain. It proved to be the last bout in what appeared to be a very promising career for Gorres, who’s now back in Cebu and rehabilitating, never to box again. “This match is personal for me.," said Domingo, when his fight with Melendez was formalized. Domingo was a stablemate of Gorres and he wants vengeance in his match against Melendez. “This fight will be emotional for me because of what happened to Gorres. I cried when I learned that he was hospitalized in Las Vegas. I will dedicate this fight to him," he added. But the 30-year old Domingo (39-14, 17 KOs) will be in for a tough fight against Melendez. The Colombian, also 30, sports a mean 26-5 card, with 21 KOs. Before taking on Gorres, he vied for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) super-flyweight title opposite Mexican Fernando Montiel, losing via a 12th round technical knockout. Montiel just made headlines a few days ago when he destroyed Japanese Hozumi Hasegawa in only four rounds to capture the World Boxing Council (WBC) bantamweight title. But Melendez had lost three of his last four bouts, including a 12-round unanimous setback against Jesus Ruiz last January. Domingo, on the other hand, is on a roll, winning his last eight matches, the latest of which came at the expense of Jose Navarro (8th round, TKO) at the Astrodome in the undercard of the Boxing at the Bay promotion featuring unbeaten Drian Francisco against Roberto Vazquez. - RCJ, GMANews.TV