Melvin the Avenger
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 02 Apr 2025
Last Saturday, four Filipino boxers fell victim to their Japanese opponents, one after the other, at the Aichi Sky Dome in Tokoname, about a 30-minute drive from Nagoya. The next night, WBC minimumweight champion Melvin Jerusalem played the avenger’s role in retaining his crown via a unanimous 12-round decision over Yudai Shigeoka in the same venue. The victory erased the nightmarish memory of the wipeout and kept Jerusalem on the throne in line for a possible unification showdown with WBO 105-pound beltholder Oscar Collazo whom he lost to on a seventh round TKO in Indio, California, in 2023.
The four, whose losses Jerusalem avenged, were Giemel Magramo, Michael Dasmarinas, Jeo Santisima and Yeroge Gura. Magramo yielded his Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation superflyweight strap to Aoi Yokohama on a unanimous 12-round verdict. Dasmarinas was stopped by Kyosuke Okamoto in the fifth frame. Santisima was outpointed by Ei Go in an eight-rounder while Gura dropped an eight-round verdict to Hayate Hanada. Magramo, Dasmarinas and Santisima were once world title challengers.
It was Jerusalem’s second win over Shigeoka. In March last year, Jerusalem decked the Japanese twice and wrested the WBC crown on a split 12-round decision in Nagoya. This time, no knockdown was scored but the win was decisive. UK judge Joseph Gwit had it 118-110. Thai judge Thawut Pheumsaman saw it 116-112 and US judge Chris Tellez, 119-109. The seventh was the only round which the three judges concurred to award to Shigeoka. Tellez gave Jerusalem 11 rounds, Thawut eight and Gwit, 10.
Jerusalem had a slow start with two of the three judges giving the first round to Shigeoka. But he quickly took control in the second, peppering the Japanese southpaw with right straights. Jerusalem hardly threw his left and relied on his right to break through Shigeoka’s defense. Shigeoka stepped up his attack in the seventh, landing stiff uppercuts but it was more of a last gasp. Jerusalem bloodied Shigeoka’s nose the next round and breezed the rest of the way.
“Speed and the right hand were the keys,” said Jerusalem’s promoter JC Manangquil of SanMan. “Shigeoka couldn’t handle Melvin’s speed. Melvin has matured a lot from their first fight.” Since losing to Collazo, Jerusalem has won four in a row, including three world title fights, to raise his record to 24-3, with 12 KOs.
“Binawi ni Melvin lahat ng talo the night before,” said JC Barrera, “Blow By Blow” CEO Marife’s son who accompanied the fighters to Japan. “Super down na down kami at talo lahat. Full support kami sa isa’t isa at buti na lang nabawi ni Champ Melvin.” Jerusalem returns to Manila on Tuesday.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joaquin Henson.
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