Jerusalem ready for first world title defense against Puerto Rican boxer

Noboyuki Matsuura, (from left) Kevin Jake Cataraja, Melvin Jerusalem, Marivic Matsuura, and Jeo Santisima of ZIP Sanman Boxing Team take time to pose for a photo opportunity during the opening of the ZIP Boxing and Wellness Center. | Glendale Rosal

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) world minimumweight champion, Melvin “Gringo” Jerusalem, and his training camp left no stone unturned in preparing for his first title defense on May 27 in the United States against Puerto Rican Oscar Collazo. 

Jerusalem and his team attended the opening of ZIP Sanman’s official boxing gym, ZIP Boxing and Wellness Center, on Saturday at the Sundance Residences after a month-long training in Japan.

Present during the opening was his manager and ZIP Sanman owner, Nobuyuki Matsuura, and his Filipina wife Marivic. Joining them were former world champion Nonito Donaire Jr., who is in Cebu to train for his upcoming bout in July, and fellow former world champion, Donnie Nietes. 

READ: Jerusalem travels to Japan to intensify training as he prepares for first world title defense

The 29-year-old Jerusalem of Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon said that he was ‘ninety-eight percent’ ready to square off with Collazo after training hard for the fight.

Jerusalem is almost ready

“Sa pagkakaron 98% ready na ko para sa akong title defense. Para nako ang knockout moabot ra gyud na pareho atong pagdaog nako sa world title,” Jerusalem, who has a record of 20 wins with 12 knockouts and two defeats. 

(For now, I am 98 percent ready for the title defense. For me, the knockout will come just like when I won the world title.)

“Pero amo jud gitrainingan og maayo. Kung naay bakante makita, mobira gyud mi,” he said.

(But we trained very hard. If we can see a vacant spot, then we will really go for it.)

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Collazo, an Olympian, has a younger pro record of 6-0 (win-loss) with 4 knockouts. 

In addition, Jerusalem said that he was as experienced as Collazo in the amateur scene. 

He said that he fought over a hundred amateur bouts back in the day and even earned a medal in a national tournament.

He said that it was proof for him that he could match Collazo’s excellent amateur resume. 

Exploiting the weakness

Jerusalem and his trainer, Michael Domingo, said during the interview that they had already found Collazo’s weakness, and they would exploit that to win impressively. 

“Mas kampante mi karon kaysa kadtong fight ni Taniguchi. Mas nakulbaan ko ato niya. Mas taas ug height ug mas lihok si Taniguchi,” Domingo said.

(We are more confident now than the fight with Taniguchi. I was really worried in that fight. He has taller and Taniguchi has the moves.)

“Kani karon si Collazo, mas dali iguon, manukmag siya, pero kung counteron nimo. Maigo man siya, ang importante makaigo gyud mi,” he said. 

(Now, with Collazo, he is easier to hit, he boxes, but we can easily counter it. We can hit him, what is important is that we can hit him.)

READ: Melvin Jerusalem to train in the US for his first title defense in May

Better chances, heading to US

“Mas taas mi og chance nga maknockout ni Melvin si Collazo. Usa sa rason ana ang among training. Mas ni focus mi sa iyahang power karon. Mao nang kaluy-an unta mi nga modaog og knockout. Pero, bahala na, kay every round daugon gyud namo,” he said.

(We have a better chance that Melvin can knockout Collazo. One reason for that is our training. We are focusing more on his power now. But, come what may, we will try to win every round.)

Jerusalem, Domingo, and ZIP Sanman prospect Kevin Jake Cataraja are expected to fly to the United States to finish the training camp there. 

Domingo said that they were looking at Los Angeles or Las Vegas as their training camp venue. 

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