The smallest of fighters proved to be Philippine boxing’s biggest punchers in the year 2024.

Had it not been for Melvin Jerusalem and Pedro Taduran, 2024 would go down in history as one of the most disappointing given that it was a year that saw a bevy of world title challengers fall by the wayside.

But Jerusalem and Taduran’s exploits made sure the year will go down as generally successful.

Former longtime junior-bantamweight champion Jerwin Ancajas was being groomed for a mighty return at bantam but he was handed a shocking sixth-round knockout loss by Takuma Inoue in a bid to wrest the World Boxing Association plum in Tokyo in February.

Ancajas’ downfall came by way of a body blow, a punch that haunted Filipino boxers almost throughout the year.

Good thing that on the last day of March in Nagoya, ex-champion Jerusalem, who had a whirlwind reign the previous year, stunned Yudai Shigeoka to take the World Boxing Council 105-lb strap.

Jerusalem almost didn’t pull it off but his two knockdowns could not be ignored as the Manolo Fortich native was awarded a split decision to become a two-time titleholder.

Jerusalem was previously the World Boxing Organization champion also in the same weight class in 2023 but in his first defense in Southern California, he was stopped by Puerto Rican Oscar Collazo.

Motivated by Jerusalem’s triumph, Taduran also became a two-time titlist after halting Yudai’s more accomplished brother Ginjiro in July in Otsu City, to snatch the International Boxing Federation (IBF) belt, the same crown the he held some years back.

While Jerusalem’s conquest in March was impressive, Taduran’s beatdown of Ginjiro was just dramatic and sensational.

Taduran and Ginjiro battled tooth and nail for eight rounds before the referee finally pulled the plug on the Japanese’s quest to retain the championship.

By the time the American third man stepped in, Ginjiro was turned into a bloody pulp by Taduran’s incessant pounding, his face assuming the appearance of a Halloween mask.

Filipino boxers began racking up big victories on foreign soil.

Not to be overshadowed by Taduran, Jerusalem returned to action in September, this time pitted against mandatory challenger Luis Castillo of Mexico.

Jerusalem started like a man possessed as he sent Castillp crashing to the floor in the very first round with his No. 1 weapon — lightning-quick right straight — doing the damage.

Castillo miraculously got up and was on the receiving end of the Filipino champion’s hard shots until the very last round.

Jerusalem was so dominant that Castillo knew at the sound of the bell that he would be returning to Sonora in Mexico a badly beaten man.

It wasn’t actually a resounding campaign for Philippine boxing since the sport’s top attraction — Manny Pacquiao — got ambushed in Saitama on the very same night Taduran bagged the IBF title.

Pacquiao took on a gigantic last-minute for in Rukiya Anpo at the Saitama Super Arena and just could not put away the determined foe.

John Riel Casimero, the fighter many believe is the only guy who can tame Naoya “Monster” Inoue, posted a devastating second-round knockout in October in Yokohama.

But his win wasn’t all smashing because he could not make the contracted weight.

While his destruction of American Saul Sanchez was highlight material, his antic didn’t escape the eyes of the Japan Boxing Commission (JBC).

For failing to comply with weight requirements, Casimero got slapped a 12-month ban by the JBC.

Adding insult to injury was the decision by Treasure Promotions not to renew Casimero’s contract owing to his ugly track record of coming in overweight many times.

As Casimero began to disappear from public eye because of his costly errors, those who are keenly awaiting world title fights just keep on winning.

Super-feather Mark Magsayo and ex-unified champion Marlon Tapales made sure their lofty billing in the world ratings will remain intact by hurdling assignments.

Even the fast-rising Carl Jammes Martin also made an impact and is in a key position to vie for a world title next year.

Towards the end of the end of the year, Filipino boxers began racking up big victories on foreign soil.

Middleweight Weljon Mindoro, Froilan Saludar, Kenneth Llover and Vencent Lacar registered smashing wins as Philippine boxing closed out the year with a big bang.