MELVIN Jerusalem is eyeing to leave no doubt this time as he puts his WBC minimumweight title belt on the line against former champion Yudai Shigeoka on March 30 in Nagoya, Japan.
The Filipino champion wrested the 105-lbs crown from Shigeoka last year via a close split decision, aided no less by two knockdowns against the Japanese in rounds three and six.
As they face each other again in a rematch, the 31-year-old Jerusalem hopes to win the fight a lot more convincing.
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“Alam namin na pag umabot ng (full) rounds, dehado pa rin yung decision. Kaya pinag-handaan namin talaga,” he said during a media workout on Thursday at the Elite Boxing and Muay Thai gym in BGC.
Reading between the lines, that’s short of saying he wants to score a knockout, although Jerusalem remains humble, soft spoken, and still has high regards to his Japanese foe, whom he dealt his first career loss in their first meeting.
“Magaling si Shigeoka, yung Shigeoka brothers,” said Jerusalem, referring to Yudai’s younger brother Ginjiro Shigeoka, a former world champion in his own right.
“Pero nakalaban ko na siya sa ibabaw ng ring kaya alam ko na yung technique niya, yung style niya, at yung kahinaan niya.”
That’s what Jerusalem (23-2, 12 KOs) and trainer Michael Domingo had worked on in the more than 100 rounds of sparring they had in training camp.
Jerusalem developing 'killer left'
The champion has also learned to develop a killer left after previously sending Shigeoka (9-1, 5 KOs) to the canvas on a pair of vicious rights.
“Naghahanap tayo ng ibang technique kasi binabasa yung strength natin. Kaya may option tayo,” said Jerusalem, who was hitting the mitts with bad intentions during the close to an hour workout on a cloudy Thursday.
Sanman Promotions CEO JC Mananquil, who handles Jerusalem, said the Filipino camp will be leaving for Nagoya on March 23 or a week before the title fight.
Mananquil follows suit the day after.
Jerusalem currently weighs at 109-lbs, just enough time for him to lose the excess weight prior to the fight.
The known cool weather of Japan isn’t a problem as well.
“Sa ngayon 109 (lbs) ako,” he said. “Di na rin gaano (malamig) gaya nang dati.”
Jerusalem is coming off a successful title defense of his belt last September, scoring a unanimous decision against previously unbeaten Mexican Luis Castillo, who was down on the canvas in the opening round.
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