Melvin Jerusalem (leftmost) and Yudai Shigeoka (rightmost). | Photo from ZIP Sanman
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Melvin Jerusalem gears up to defend his World Boxing Council (WBC) world minimumweight title in a rematch against his rival Yudai Shigeoka on Sunday, March 30, in Tokoname, Aichi, Japan.
Jerusalem and Shigeoka crossed paths once again during the official weigh-in on Saturday, March 29, their first encounter since their intense March 13, 2024, showdown where Jerusalem pulled off a stunning upset, dethroning Shigeoka via a split decision.
Nicknamed “Gringo,” Jerusalem is one of the only two reigning Filipino boxing champions. He weighed in at 105.05 pounds, while Shigeoka tipped the scales slightly lighter at 104.61 lbs.
READ:
Melvin Jerusalem in peak form for WBC title defense
WBC honors Melvin Jerusalem in annual convention
Boxing great George Foreman dead at 76, says family
The 31-year-old Melvin Jerusalem, who trains under the ZIP Sanman Boxing Team in Cebu, successfully defended his title last year against Mexico’s top contender, Luis Castillo, securing a unanimous decision victory in a stacked fight card held in Manila.
Determined to solidify his reign, Melvin Jerusalem dedicated over six months of rigorous training in Cebu, Japan, and Manila to ensure he is in peak condition for this highly anticipated rematch.
This time, Jerusalem is on a mission to prove that his initial victory over Shigeoka should not have been a split decision, especially after knocking down the Japanese fighter twice in that encounter.
Before departing for Japan, Jerusalem was named “Co-Boxers of the Year” at the Elorde-Pacquiao Boxing Awards alongside IBF world minimumweight champion Pedro Taduran.
It was during this awards ceremony that Melvin Jerusalem also received valuable advice from none other than Filipino boxing legend and eight-time world champion Manny Pacquiao.
A former WBO world minimumweight champion, Jerusalem brings a wealth of experience into the ring, boasting a record of 23 wins, 12 by knockout, against three losses.
In contrast, Shigeoka, who is eager to reclaim his belt, holds a younger record of 9 wins (5 KOs) and 1 losses. The Japanese warrior however is no pushover as he is wily as he is equally talented.
Read Next
Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.