Preserving Jerusalem
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 04 Apr 2024
With the Japanese promoter reportedly still holding two options on our WBC minimumweight champion Melvin Jerusalem, chances are it will be pushing for an immediate title rematch with Yudai Shigeoka, the man he beat for the green and gold belt. Or a unification with Yudai's younger brother, IBF titlist Ginjiro Shigeoka.
Or both if Melvin repeats over Yudai, with the said promoter insisting those fights to be held exclusively in Japan.
Career-wise and financially, those prospects would sound wonderful for Jerusalem but those are also fraught with danger as his last fight would indicate.
Hence, this is where the intercession of Melvin's Filipino promoter JC Manangquil and the Games and Amusements Board could play a crucial part in preserving our current lone world boxing champion.
I think as promoter of the reigning champion, Manangquil should now possess the leverage to have any title rematch and/or unification held in the Philippines or at least in a neutral third country as Thailand where JC has good record in promoting fights.
I think getting government and private support for Jerusalem's title rematch against Yudai or unification with Ginjiro if it can no longer be avoided, to be held in the Philippines would not be much a problem in view of the fact that Melvin is our one and only world champion now. Hence, all hands should join to help in preserving his reign.
The GAB through Atty Richard Clarin who plans to bring up to WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman the questionable scoring in the last fight, could also might as well put forth some intercession to the effect that a prestigious title as bestowed by the esteemed WBC must not be held hostage by any rich foreign promoter on account of any contractual obligations, onerous as they appear now. As GAB Chairman, Atty Clarin is also member of the WBC Board of Governors.
It must be noted that any rematch involving its champion or unification against titlist from other boxing bodies is subject to the review and approval by the WBC.
Clarin has to drive home the fact that in precluding any revolving door champion regime, the WBC should rule that for its champion to gain proper tenure, he maybe allowed to make an optional or even choice defense first prior to any rematch, unification or mandatory defense without reneging on any outstanding contractual obligations.
Note that Jerusalem was a choice defense for Yudai being rated #6 prior to the fight. If Yudai was granted that privilege, why not Melvin?
We should learn our lessons of having our Filipino fighters earning world titles the hard way in foreign countries only to see these Pinoy champions lose them in their first defense also in foreign lands.
This is just an unsolicited advice coming from an old boxing enthusiast who longs for the days of the likes of Flash Elorde especially, Ben Villaflor, Rolando Navarette and Lusito Espinosa who were afforded the chance to defend their world titles before their countrymen.
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.
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