CEBU City - Not even the holiday season and the recent Sinulog Grand Parade slowed down undefeated Milan Melindo from preparing for his Jan. 28 fight against Mexican Juan Esquer.

“Tuluy-tuloy lang po ang ensayo. Hindi kailangan mag-pabaya,” said the 23-year-old native of Cagayan de Oro, who resisted the temptation of indulging into too much eating during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

“Sakripisyo po talaga sa paghahangad natin na maging world champion,” he added.

Training for Melindo is now in its final phase at the ALA boxing gym here as he gears up for his 12-round bout against Esquer which serves as the main event of  ‘Pinoy Pride XI: Philippines vs. The World’ to be held at Cebu City Waterfront Hotel and Casino.

Melindo will be bringing with him an unbeaten record of 25-0 (with 9 KOs) when he meets his 25-year-old opponent from Sonora, Mexico.

Esquer has a 27-9 (win-loss) record, including 21 knockouts, and once challenged for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) light-flyweight title against the great Ivan Calderon of Puerto Rico, losing a unanimous 12-round decision.              

“May lakas ang suntok niya kaya hindi rin dapat mag-kumpiyansa,” said Melindo, the reigning WBO Intercontinental flyweight champion.

As part of the promotional built up for the boxing program presented by Ala Promotions and ABS-CBN Sports, Melindo and members of Team Philippines seeing action as part of the undercard, conducted a public workout at the SM City Cebu here late Friday afternoon.

Melindo was accompanied by Ala boxing gym stablemates Lorenzo Villanueva, Joseph Von Minoza, reigning Orient Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) champion Merlito ‘Tiger’ Sabilo, and Mhar Jhun Makahilig during the

Villanueva and Co. are going up against high-caliber opponents from Mexico, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, and Korea in the boxing card also supported by SM City Cebu, Pacific Mall Mandaue, Waterfront Cebu City Hotel, Kia Motors Cebu, Moon Café, Harold’s Hotel, PAGCOR, Gaisano Tabunok, Gaisano Metro Colon and EGI Resort.

Coming off a 10th-round stoppage of Francisco Rojas during the eight edition of Pinoy Pride last September, Melindo hopes to make a statement in his showdown with Esquer in his bid to vie for a world title this year.