After dethroning Japanese foe, Jerusalem eyes P’rican’s belt

MELVIN JERUSALEM declared he’ll go for Puerto Rican Oscar Collazo’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) belt hours after the pint-sized Filipino snatched Japanese Yudai Shigeoka’s World Boxing Council (WBC) minimum weight crown on Sunday night in Nagoya.

“He [Collazo] really wants to fight,” was Jerusalem’s online chat to Businessmirror on Monday morning with a screenshot of Collazo’s congratulatory message “Congrats champ. I’m ready for that unification. You want a rematch, let’s get it.” Jerusalem dethroned Shigeoka via split decision he highlighted with two knockdowns.

He’s now the only Filipino world pro boxing champion. “I’m ready anywhere, anytime if we’ll be given a chance even here in Japan, I’ll fight him,” the 30-year-old from Bukidnon said. “I’m hoping to get a full month of preparation in the US if the fight would happen there… not only 10 days.”

“But let’s see, it’s the decision of my manager and promoter,” he added.

Jerusalem, who now owns 22 wins against three defeats with 12 knockouts, lost his WBO title to Collazo via seventh-round knockout in Indio, California, in May last year.

Jerusalem held the belt for only four months after dethroning Japanese Masataka Taniguchi via first round knockout in January 2023—having ended the country’s six-month drought for a world champion after Mark Magsayo’s split decision defeat to Mexican Rey Vargas in July 2022.

Erstwhile super bantamweight champion Marlon Tapales also lost in a title fight to Naoya Inoue last December 26 in Tokyo.

“WBC is my dream belt and I’m the first Filipino champion once again,” Jerusalem said. “Very happy. My opponent was too confident that’s why I was able to hit him and get some points...but no questions, he’s a good boxer.”

Jerusalem and trainer-coach Michael Domingo were back home Monday afternoon and are expected to attend courtesy calls with different government officials.