When Pedro Taduran and Melvin Jerusalem, the country’s two world champion, defend their respective crowns on home soil in the next 12 days, the most noteworthy spectator will be watching the action thousands of miles away in the Caribbean.

Puerto Rican Oscar Collazo, holder of the World Boxing Organization (WBO) and World Boxing Association (WBA) minimumweight titles, will be wide awake when International Boxing Federation titlist Taduran faces third-ranked compatriot Christian Balunan on 26 October and World Boxing Council ruler Melvin Jerusalem meets second-rated Siyakholwa Kuse of South Africa three days later.

The Taduran-Balunan showdown will be staged at San Andres Sports Complex while the Jerusalem-Kuse encounter will be held at the Smart Araneta Coliseum as part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the Thrilla in Manila.

Collazo just made a successful defense of his twin titles last month, stopping the game and gutsy Filipino Jayson “Striker” Vayson at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California.

Right after the victory, the undefeated Collazo, also recognized as The Ring magazine champion in the 105-pound division, expressed his desire to begin the unification process.

In a recent social media post, the southpaw Collazo said that he will be taking time off by watching Taduran conduct his business with the unbeaten Balunan.

“I will be watching,” Collazo wrote.

Of course, Collazo would also be doing screen time three days later when Jerusalem takes center stage against Kuse.

While Collazo hasn’t decided as to which among the two he would risk his two straps, Taduran seems to be the frontrunner given that Jerusalem had his chance in 2023.

Even Taduran’s chief representative, American dealmaker Sean Gibbons, feels Taduran, also a lefty, should be awarded a chance at challenging Collazo.

But that would solely depend on the result of his duel with Balunan next week.

Taduran obviously knows what’s on the horizon but isn’t allowing himself to get too excited.

Same is true with Jerusalem, who is training like a mad man as he gets ready to showcase his talent before a massive audience at the Big Dome.

Both events enjoy the blessing of eight-division legend Manny Pacquiao, whose television show Blow-By-Blow is handling the Thrilla event in Quezon City and MP Promotions is co-partnering with Gibbons’ Viva Promotions in holding the slugfest in Manila.