Fellow world champ cautions Jerusalem

Melvin Jerusalem, who risks the World Boxing Council (WBC) minimumweight crown against mandatory challenger Luis Castillo of Mexico on Sunday, believes the Filipino champion has what it takes to retain the coveted title.

But there are two things Jerusalem, 30, needs to be aware of, according to the country’s other reigning world champion Pedro Taduran.

“Don’t be overconfident and also watch out for his (Castillo) left hand,” Taduran, the International Boxing Federation minimumweight titlist, said after watching two of Castillo’s fight on video on Monday afternoon.

“If he keeps this in mind, he will retain the title,” added Taduran, who himself is getting ready to defend his own crown on 22 November in Jeju, South Korea.

Castillo, 27, packs a 21-0-1 win-loss-draw record with 13 knockouts and is a noted body puncher as well but will have to deal with the fact that this will be his first foray outside Mexico.

The five-foot-two Jerusalem, who stands four inches shorter than the No. 1 challenger from Los Mochis, sports a 22-3-0 with 12 knockouts and will be making the first defense of the championship he had won last March in Nagoya.

The two fighters get to size each other up Tuesday during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

Manny Pacquiao’s Blow-By-Blow is staging the slugfest at the Mandaluyong City College Gymnasium and the main event will be shown live beginning at 7 p.m. on Sunday on Cignal’s One Sports channel.