World Boxing Council (WBC) champion Melvin Jerusalem flies to the United States this Sunday extremely confident he will get even with Puerto Rican Oscar Collazo in their rematch on 14 March in the Greater Los Angeles area in Southern California.
“No excuses,” Jerusalem told DAILY TRIBUNE on Wednesday barely 24 hours after announcing that he will be aiming to become a three-belt titleholder.
The undefeated Collazo holds the World Boxing Organization and World Boxing Association 105-pound straps.
Last time he faced Collazo in May 2023 in Indio, California, the Filipino was still battling jet lag, having arrived in America 10 days before the fight.
His team wanted to come in early but his travel documents didn’t arrive until it was less than two weeks before the Collazo clash.
Jerusalem, a first-timer in the Ubited States, quit on his stool at the end of the seventh round, an experience he and his team have learned a lot from.
This time, Jerusalem and chief trainer Michael Domingo are camping out with a lot of time in their hands to get acclimatized and get used to the local conditions.
JC Mananquil, who promotes him alongside his Japanese partners, has found a location in Los Angeles that is in close proximity to Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood.
“We will be training there at Wild Card, which is near the place we will be staying at,” an excited Jerusalem added.
Jerusalem made two defenses of the WBC title last year, the first in Japan and the second in Manila.
Collazo sports a 13-0 win-loss record with ten knockouts while Jerusalem parades a 25-2 mark with 12 knockouts.
If victorious against Collazo, Jerusalem will be a crown away from becoming an undisputed champion, something even the great Manny Pacquiao never achieved in his legendary career.
Southpaw Pedro Taduran, also a Filipino, has the International Boxing Federation belt, the last piece towards earning that sought-after undisputed tag.
He, like Collazo and Jerusalem, is passionate about becoming a four-belt titleholder.
Meantime, a major alignment is in order next month that could pave the way for the emergence of just one champion.
Given the stakes, Collazo is determined to prove his first victory was not a fluke.
Jerusalem’s job is to show Collazo that it really was.
The Honda Center, an 18,000-capacity arena in Anaheim, could be the venue, according to boxing scene.