World boxing champ ramps up training

Less than 24 hours after returning from his 19-day conditioning camp in Nagoya, Melvin Jerusalem rose early to do his roadwork and kick off his buildup on Thursday for his second defense of the World Boxing Council (WBC) minimumweight crown on 30 March in Japan.

Jerusalem admits that while he may have beaten Yudai Shigeoka the first time they met, it’s not a guarantee that he would do so easily in their rematch late next month at the Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname.

Even his chief trainer Michael Domingo insists that it would be risky to allow the judges to decide the outcome of their 12-round showdown.

In winning the WBC 105-lb crown last year in Nagoya, Jerusalem knocked down Shigeoka twice en route to a split decision.

“That’s something I want to avoid. I will train hard to make myself super ready in the rematch so that if I see an opening, I won’t hesitate to go after a knockout,” Jerusalem, 30, said upon his arrival in the country.

Domingo, who has finalized the training program in Cebu City the next four weeks, swears Shigeoka will be tough to beat if the fight goes the distance again.

“We’ll do our very best that the fight doesn’t go 12 rounds because it will be difficult to win a decision the second straight time,” Domingo, a one-time world title challenger, said.

Managed by the husband and wife tandem of Nonuyuki and Marivic Matsuura and promoted by JC Mananquil, Jerusalem is one of just two reigning Filipino world champions. The other is fellow 105-pounder Pedro Taduran, who is the reigning International Boxing Federation ruler.