Melvin Jerusalem World Champion Again
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 31 Mar 2024
Duplicating the feat he did last year, Melvin Jerusalem gave the Philippines its first world championship of the new year by defeating defending titlist Yudai Shigeoka and wresting his WBC minimum crown via split decision in their 12 round main event bout in Nagoya, Japan.
Information culled from boxrec reported that both judges Jae Bong Kim and Barry Lindeeman scored the fight 114-112 for Melvin while the third judge Malcolm Bulner had it 114-113 for Yudai signifying how closely fought the contest was.
Melvin ended the country's world title drought in February 2023 by winning the WBO minimumweight crown via 2nd round knockout of another Japanese Masataka Taniguchi in Japan. But his reign did not last as he was defeated via TKO by Puerto Rican Oscar Collazo.
Yudai failed in the first defense of the WBC crown he wrested from Thai Panya Pradabsri last November. It was also his first career defeat in nine fight.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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