Rematch in the offing
Melvin Jerusalem (left) might end up getting a chance to exact vengeance with Oscar Collazo, who beat him in May 2023 in the US.
Daily TribuneMelvin Jerusalem (left) might end up getting a chance to exact vengeance with Oscar Collazo, who beat him in May 2023 in the US.
Golden Boy Promotions
Puerto Rican two-belt titleholder Oscar Collazo is coming to get all the world minimumweight straps in 2026 and his immediate target seems to be a rematch with Melvin Jerusalem.
Holder of the World Boxing Organization (WBO) and World Boxing Association (WBA) titles, Collazo is targeting the World Boxing Council (WBC) jewels of Jerusalem, who is coming off a hard-earned 12-round unanimous decision win over Siyakholwa Kuse of South Africa during last week’s Thrilla in Manila festivities.
The other titleholder — another Filipino in Pedro Taduran — is the International Boxing Federation (IBF) champion, also fresh from a successful defense against compatriot Christian Balunan during the final runup to the Thrilla celebrations.
Collazo, in a social media post, swears that becoming the undisputed champion at 105 pounds is his mission next year.
“I am here to make greatness… 2026 I am coming for everything,” said the 28-year-old southpaw WBO-WBA titlist.
Collazo is also quite fresh from defending his two championships, having stopped Filipino Jayson Vayson in seven rounds last September in Indio, California.
Jerusalem, 31, has made three defenses of the WBC plum, defeating Mexican Luis Castillo, Japanese Yudai Shigeoka and Kuse last 29 October at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Collazo packs an unbeaten 13-0-0 win-loss-draw card with ten knockouts.
Jerusalem, 31, originally from Manolo Fortich in Bukidnon but now based in Cebu, sports a 25-3 mark with 12 knockouts.
Taduran, also a lefty like Collazo, parades a 19-4-1 slate with 13 knockouts.
A DAILY TRIBUNE source said Collazo prefers to take on Jerusalem, who he beat on a stoppage in winning the WBO title in May 2023 during Jerusalem’s first reign as champion.
If this is the case, Taduran’s chief handler Cucuy Elorde would like to see his fighter defend the title as well around the same should Collazo and Jerusalem engage in a rematch.
“What I want to do is see Pedro defend his title so he remains active and avoids getting stripped,” said Cucuy, who manages the Albay-born slugger alongside his brother Marty.