Melvin Jerusalem stays upbeat

Melvin Jerusalem arrived in Indio, California, looking confident and capable of retaining his World Boxing Organization minimumweight title this Saturday night (Sunday morning in Manila).

After almost a week training at Freddie Roach's Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, Jerusalem and his team drove two hours from Los Angeles and checked in at the Fantasy Spring Resort and Casino, site of his mandatory defense of the WBO 105-lb belt against Oscar Collazo of Puerto Rico.

"Ready to go," Michael Domingo, the Filipino champion's lead trainer said shortly after checking in.

Domingo insists Jerusalem, who will make his American debut, is upbeat.

Nervous?

"No," Domingo said, stressing that the team is supremely positive of its chances against the undefeated Collazo.

Jerusalem had won the title back in January in Osaka, needing just one punch—a right straight—to knock out Masataka Taniguchi in Osaka.

He enters the ring armed with a 20-2 record with 12 knockouts while Collazo parades a 6-0 slate with four knockouts