Jerusalem hits Los Angeles

Melvin Jerusalem will set up a week-long camp at the Wild Card Boxing Club for the final push of his mandatory defense of the World Boxing Organization minimumweight title on 27 May in Indio, California.

The Filipino champion's camp arrived at Los Angeles' Tom Bradley International Tuesday night (late-Wednesday morning in Manila).

JC Mananquil, the Filipino promoter of the WBO 105-lb champion who faces Puerto Rican Oscar Collazo, initially had wanted an earlier arrival in America for his fighter.

But a delay in the processing of Jerusalem's travel documents prevented it from taking place.

Still, Mananquil insists that Jerusalem, a first-time visitor in the States, should adjust to the conditions in Southern California.

"He's got 11 days. He can do it," Mananquil said, noting the team makes the two-hour land trip to Indio on 24 May.

To prepare for the undefeated Collazo, Jerusalem spent a month in Cebu, four weeks in Japan and more than two weeks back in Cebu.

Joining him in the trip are chief trainer Michael Domingo and KJ Cataraja. Following them in a few days are Mananquil on 22 May andJerusalem's Japanese promoters two days later.

Jerusalem is one of just two reigning Filipino world titlists at the moment other than two-belt super-bantamweight ruler Marlon Tapales.

Vincent Astrolabio attempted to become the third but he failed in his bid to snatch the WBO bantam crown over the weekend and lost to Australian Jason Moloney in Stockton, California.