Daily Tribune‘He always gave me updates about his roadwork so I know he’s not fooling around.’
WBC minimumweight champion Melvin Jerusalem heads for Japan in March to face Yudai Shigeoka in a rematch.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SANMAN BOXING
It doesn’t look like Melvin Jerusalem is going to hand the World Boxing Council (WBC) minimumweight crown anytime soon.
Just before the New Year festivities, Jerusalem and his trainer Michael Domingo were together in General Santos City for a round of light training.
“We spent some time in GenSan and he trained there,” Domingo said of his ever-busy fighter.
Jerusalem then spent the New Year in his hometown of Manolo Fortich in Bukidnon where he logged several kilometers of high-altitude running.
“He always gave me updates about his roadwork so I know he’s not fooling around,” Domingo added.
Jerusalem has been advised to get ready for the second defense of the WBC 105-lb crown against Yudai Shigeoka sometime in March in a rematch.
It was from this same Japanese fighter Jerusalem snatched the WBC strap away from last year in Nagoya in a close fight that saw the Filipino score two knockdowns.
“I was told that it’s going to be in March. Haven’t been told about the final date and location,” said Jerusalem’s promoter JC Mananquil.
Jerusalem made the first defense of the title — a mandatory — against Luis Castillo of Mexico last September on home soil.
It looked as if the fight was going to be short and explosive after Jerusalem sent Castillo crashing to the deck with a thunderous right hand to the jaw.
Castillo got up and was saved by the bell, allowing him to clear the cobwebs and evade getting hit with that same damaging shot in the remainder although there were a few occasions when Jerusalem shook him up.
One of just two reigning Filipino world champions, Jerusalem will be back in training camp on Monday as he could not book a flight given the post-holiday rush.
But that doesn’t concern Domingo since he knows his fighter is a guy who doesn’t have to be told what to do.
If only other fighters are just like him.
