SPORTS FACTS AND FIGURES 65: MELVIN JERUSALEM AND JAKE AMPARO VERSUS SHIGEOKA BROTHERS IN WORLD TITLE DOUBLE HEADER ON MARCH 31 IN JAPAN
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 29 Mar 2024
Former WBO world minimumweight champion Melvin “Gringo” Jerusalem will face the defending WBC world minimumweight champion, Yudai Shigeoka, in Nagoya, Japan, on Sunday, March 31. Jerusalem, trainer Michael Domingo, and stablemate Kevin Jake Cataraja arrived in Nagoya, Japan, on Wednesday, March 27.
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Domingo said he is confident that Jerusalem will score another upset similar to what he did when grabbed the title belt from then champion Masataka Taniguchi by a second-round technical knockout on January 6 last year in Osaka, Japan.
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Domingo gave credit to Jerusalem’s passionate training and superb conditioning as the key factors in winning back the title. Domingo was quoted by CDN Digital that they already have the technique to unseat Shigeoka, whose style is similar to Taniguchi as a southpaw.
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Jerusalem has a record of 21 wins with 12 knockouts and three defeats, while Shigeoka is undefeated in eight fights with five knockouts.
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Jerusalem first attempted for a world title on January 25, 2017 but lost to Wanheng Minayothin of Thailand by unanimous decision. It is the same belt that Shigeoka will be defending this coming Sunday.
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Jake “El Bambino” Amparo will serve as a last-minute substitute for ArAr Andales in the fight with the defending IBF world minimumweight champion Ginjiro Shigeoka also on March 31 in Nagoya, Japan. It will feature as the co-main event of the Jerusalem fight against the brother of Ginjiro, Yudai Shigeoka.
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Amparo who was rated No. 6 in the IBF, was tapped immediately to replace Andales after he withdrew from the fight due to medical reasons.
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Amparo lost to former world champion Pedro Taduran on December 28 by unanimous decision in their IBF world minimumweight title eliminator last December 28 in Tagbilaran City, Bohol. But surprisingly, Amparo overtook Taduran in challenging for a world title.
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Amparo defeated Goki Kobayashi on August 5 last year in Kobe, Japan to win the WBO Asia Pacific minimumweight title. Amparo has 14 wins, three knockouts, five losses, and one draw. Shigeoka is undefeated in 10 fights with eight knockouts.
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NBA Kia-MVP Ladder:
1. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
Season stats: 26.1 ppg, 12.3 rpg, 9 apg
2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
Season stats: 30.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 6.4 apg
T-3. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
Season stats: 30.7 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 6.4 apg
T-3. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
Season stats: 34.1 ppg, 9 rpg, 9.8 apg
5. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
Season stats: 27.1 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 4.9 apg
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