Jerusalem, Taduran on collision course?

A matchup between Filipino world champions Melvin Jerusalem and Pedro Taduran could be made assuming Oscar Collazo of Puerto Rico breaks his promise and ends up looking elsewhere.

“I’ll fight him (Taduran),” Jerusalem said after beating the surprisingly tough South African challenger Siyakholwa Kuse to retain the World Boxing Council strawweight crown for the third time during the Thrilla in Manila’s 50th anniversary at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Taduran, the International Boxing Federation titleholder, had also expressed the desire to take on Jerusalem in case his team couldn’t put a deal in place for a clash with Collazo, who holds the World Boxing Organization and World Boxing Association ruler.

The Jerusalem-Kuse showdown served as the main event of the heavy 13-fight bill that was put up by Manny Pacquiao’s Blow-By-Blow, the Philippine Sports Coommission and the International Boxing Association and it drew a sizable crowd, including President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., who just arrived after the attending the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia.

The President came with First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos and was warmly received by former Senator Manny Pacquiao and wife Jinkee.

Also there to welcome him were former Senator Mar Roxas II, owner of Araneta City and Jorge L. Araneta, Chairman of the Araneta Group of Companies.

The Chief Executive was on hand to watch the fight of Nico Ali-Walsh, whose late grandfather Muhammad Ali, fought Joe Frazier in 1975 at the historic Big Dome.

The original Thrilla was brought to the country by Ferdinand Marcos Sr., who succeeded in putting a positive image of the Philippines in the international scene.

“Fifty years later, Marcos Jr.’s presence marked both a familial and national full circle, a testament to the enduring power of sports to inspire, unite, and define a generation,” according to Malacanang.

Apart from Jerusalem, other Filipinos who saw action include Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Eumir Marcial, former unified world super-bantamweight champion Marlon Tapales and top-rated Carl Jammes Martin.

The Philippines’ former world champions were also present during the night of fistic fireworks with Rolando Navarrete, Luisito Espinosa and Donnie Nietes being the marquee names.

From the States, the families of Ali and Frazier also came in full force, making the event memorable.