SPORTS FACTS AND FIGURES 77: MELVIN JERUSALEM DROPS AND DEFEATS LUIS CASTILLO
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 24 Sep 2024
WBC minimumweight champion Melvin Jerusalem handily defended his title last Sunday evening, with a lopsided 12 round unanimous decision victory over Mexico’s Luis Castillo, before the cheering hometown crowd at Mandaluyong City College, Mandaluyong City, Philippines. Jerusalem downed Castillo to the canvas with a straight right in the first round. But Castillo was able to beat the referee's count with 15 seconds left in the round.
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What followed was a breezy melee all the way for Jerusalem as the Mexican fought just to survive. Jerusalem got the three judges' approval winning by unanimous decision, 118-109, 120-107, 120-107. The Filipino champ hurdled his first defense, improving his record to 23-3, 12 KOs. Castillo suffered his first defeat, slipping to 21-1-1, 13 KOs.
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The bout was the main event of Manny Pacquiao’s Blow-by-Blow and it was the first world title fight held in the Philippines since Jerwin Ancajas won over Puerto Rico’s McJoe Arroyo for the IBF super flyweight title in September 3, 2016 at Taguig City.
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Jerusalem's three losses include defeats to Wanheng Menayothin by unanimous decision on January 25, 2017 at Phitsanulok, Thailand for the WBC mini-flyweight title;
Joey Canoy by unanimous decision on July 8, 2017 at Cebu City, Philippines and Oscar Collazo by RTD7 on May 27, 2023 at Indio, California, U.S. and lost the WBO mini-flyweight title.
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Collazo won the fight against Jerusalem by stoppage in the seventh round, as Jerusalem did not answer the bell at the start of the eighth round. Collazo became the fastest boxer from Puerto Rico to win a world title, becoming a world champion in his seventh fight, overtaking Alex Sánchez who captured his first title in 11 fights as a professional.
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The Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) is a sports and academic association of 17 schools, colleges and universities in Cebu which was established in 2001.
University/School College championships
University of the Visayas - 15
University of Cebu - 2
Southwestern University PHINMA - 3
University of San Carlos - 1
University/School High School championships
University of the Visayas - 7
Sacred Heart School – Ateneo de Cebu - 7
University of Cebu - 3
Cebu Eastern College - 1
Cebu Institute of Technology – University - 1
University of San Jose – Recoletos - 1
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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