Oscar Collazo (left) and Melvin Jerusalem (right). | Facebook photos.
CEBU CITY, Philippines—Reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) world minimumweight champion Melvin “Gringo” Jerusalem is ready face anyone who wants his world title.
This he said following the announcement of his mandatory title defense.
The WBO championship committee ordered Jerusalem’s promoter, JC Mananquil, and the camp of his rightful challenger, Oscar Collazo of Puerto Rico, to start negotiations earlier this week.
Each side is given 15 days upon the issuance of the order and must reach an agreement accordingly. Otherwise, the mandatory world title bout will end up in a purse bid.
“Bisan kinsa nga kontra, mao na ato gipaabot,” said Jerusalem, who recently received a hero’s welcome in his hometown in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon.
(Whoever will be the challenger, I am just waiting.)
The 28-year-old Cebu-based Jerusalem of ZIP-Sanman Boxing Team dethroned Masataka Taniguchi via a second round knockout last January 6, 2023, in Osaka, Japan to wrest the WBO world title.
According to Jerusalem, he is excited to face a boxer like Collazo, who, for him, has an “amateur style of fighting.”
“Mao na akong gipaabot nga makadula na pud ug amateur style. Advantage ta sa experience, mao kayanon nato maka depensa sa bakos,” said Jerusalem.
(That’s what I am waiting for, to be able to go up against an amateur style boxer. Experience is an advantage, that’s why I will be ready to defend the belt.)
In terms of experience, Jerusalem has the upper hand. He holds a record of 20 wins (12 by knockout) and two defeats. Jerusalem, a former ALA Boxing Gym standout, fought for the world title twice.
His first shot was in 2017 against Wanheng Menayothin for the WBC world minimumweight strap, where he lost by unanimous decision.
Meanwhile, the 26-year-old Collazo is unbeaten in six fights with four knockouts wins.
Despite his deceiving pro record, Collazo is an impressive amateur boxer who is a 2019 gold medalist in the Pan American Games.
He earned his world title shot by scoring a fifth round knockout against Yudel Reyes earlier this month, in a title eliminator bout that happened in Inglewood, the United States.
/bmjo
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