Is Jerusalem next for Puerto Rican?

INDIO, California — If he gets past Filipino challenger Jayson “Striker” Vayson on Saturday, Puerto Rican Oscar Collazo’s next move would be to revive talks for a unification fight with the champions of the other boxing bodies.

The reigning World Boxing Association and World Boxing Organization and The Ring magazine minimumweight titleholder, Collazo is itching to add the World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation straps being held by Filipinos Melvin Jerusalem and Pedro Taduran, respectively.

“If everything turns out good Saturday, I will be going after the remaining titles,” Collazo told DAILY TRIBUNE.

That seems to be the path Collazo will take as Golden Boy Promotions (GBP) president Eric Gomez made the confirmation of the Los Angeles-based outfit’s desire to unify the 105-pound belts.

“He (Collazo) is the unified champion and one of the best fighters in the world. He wants to unify but this is a tough fight. We will fight one fight at a time. We can’t say after. When you overlook what’s ahead of you and what’s in front of you sometimes that becomes a problem.”

“But he’s a pro, a professional. He wants to unify. He’s such a good fighter. First quarter of next year. February or March sometime like that,” said Gomez, who is second-in-command behind GBP chairman and chief executive officer Oscar De la Hoya.

Gomez said Jerusalem seems to have the upper hand in the Collazo sweepstakes.

“Yes, of course that’s (Jerusalem fight) what we want.”

Jerusalem and Taduran are being represented by American dealmaker Sean Gibbons of MP Promotions.

“I have been talking to Sean Gibbons about Jerusalem and that’s a possibility and we know that Jerusalem wants to do a rematch. The first on was pretty competitive in the beginning before Oscar pulled it out and that’s one guy we are looking at.”