Melvin Jerusalem and his team are relocating to South Africa almost three weeks before the 16 May fight against hometown bet Siyakholwa Kuse in Johannesburg.

The decision to get there early is in line with ultimate goal of returning to the Philippines with the World Boxing Council (WBC) strawweight titlebelt still strapped around Jerusalem’s waist.

“We are leaving on the 29th (of April),” said Jerusalem, who will be making the fourth defense of the WBC 105-pound belt, after another intense sparring session in Cebu City.

Arriving in Johannesburg way ahead of the scheduled bout is crucial to Jerusalem’s quest to remain as champion given the city’s elevation of almost 6,000 feet and the toll the long travel will impose on them.

This fight is going to be a rematch following the close fight they got involved in last October during the Thrilla in Manila’s golden anniversary celebrations at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Jerusalem had earlier been pegged to battle Puerto Rican two-belt titleholder Oscar Collazo last March but it was shelved just a day after a deal was forged owing to promotional issues.

Having been left out in the cold, Jerusalem opted to entertain an offer to defend against Kuse to keep himself active.

But even if the offer was attractive, the risk of losing is high since Jerusalem will be fighting on unfamiliar, hostile ground.

Still, Jerusalem believes he has the know-how and the mindset needed to repulse Kuse once again and keep himself in the running for a shot at Collazo’s World Boxing Association and World Boxing Organization jewels.

“I will do my very best to win so the WBC belt remains with us,” said Jerusalem, whose first two defenses were against Yudai Shigeoka of Japan and mandatory challenger Luis Castillo of Mexico.

Jerusalem is one of just two Filipino world champion aside from Pedro Taduran, who is the International Boxing Federation titlist and also trying to land a unification clash with Collazo.