Filipino boxer Melvin Jerusalem holds up his WBC minimumweight belt upon his arrival in the Philippines. Jeck Batallones, ABS-CBN NewsMANILA -- Still bearing the bruises from his grueling title fight last Sunday, newly-crowned WBC minimumweight champion Melvin Jerusalem returned to the country.
While proudly carrying his new belt, Jerusalem expressed his excitement to spend time with his family after months of preparation for the championship fight.
"Kaunting pahinga lang sir, kasi eto na. Binigay na sa atin. Pinaghandaan natin ito. Ang plano namin ng manager ko, mag-unify sa kapatid nila Shigeoka brothers, or rematch kay [Oscar] Collazo, unify din sa WBO," said Jerusalem upon his arrival.
[I will just take a little rest because this is what we've prepared for. My manager and I are planning for a unification bout against the Shigeoka brothers or have a rematch against Collazo for the WBO title.]
Jerusalem claimed the title after defeating Japanese boxer Yudai Shigeoka via split decision in Nagoya, Japan. Judges scored the bout 114-112 twice in favor of Jerusalem and 114-113 once for his foe. Despite being knocked down twice, Shigeoka held his ground and survived until the final bell.
But Jerusalem's aggression secured him the 105-pound title.
READ: Melvin Jerusalem beats Japanese foe for WBC minimumweight belt
"Habang nasa ring pa, 'di talaga ntin alam 'yung laban. Kasi ganoon 'yung last round, tatamaan pa tayo, kaya walang kumpiyansa. Gaya ng scorecard, nag-split decision. Two points lang lamang ko, tabla pa ang ibang round," said the Filipino boxer.
[While we were in the ring, we really didn't know the outcome of the fight because in the last round, anything can happen. We might still get hit, so we couldn't get complacent. Like the scorecard, it was a split decision, I was only ahead by two points, still tied in some rounds.]
This victory brings Jerusalem's boxing record to 22-3-0, making him the only active Filipino world champion. He was also recently recognized as Boxer of the Year at the Pacquiao-Elorde Awards along with Marlon Tapales.
READ: Pinoy boxers, sports legends feted at first Pacquiao-Elorde awards
This is the second time Jerusalem has become a world champion. In 2023, he ended the Philippines' world title drought by knocking out Japanese Masataka Taniguchi via a second-round TKO to win the WBO world minimumweight strap. He eventually lost the world title to Puerto Rican Oscar Collazo in May 2023 during his first title defense, held in Puerto Rico.
But this title is more meaningful to Jerusalem than the other belts that he previously won.
"Sobrang importante kasi dreambelt ko ito sir, binigay sa akin WBO. Pero eto binigyan ako second chance kasi lumaban ako dati sa Thailand nung 2017. 'Di ko nakuha, umabot ng 12 rounds. Saka ngayon binigay ulit sa atin kaya pag sisikapan ko talaga na hawakan ko ng matagal," he said
[It's really important to me, sir, because this is my dream belt given to me by the WBO. But I was given a second chance because I fought in Thailand in 2017, I didn't win, it went the full 12 rounds, and now it's given to us again, so I'll really strive to hold onto it for a long time.]