Jerusalem gets useful tips from Donaire, Nietes as he gears for first title defense

Reigning WBO world minimumweight champion Melvin Jerusalem is flanked by Donnie Nietes and Nonito Donaire Jr. during the opening of ZIP Boxing and Wellness Center.  | CDN Digital photo Glendale Rosal

CEBU CITY, Philippines— Melvin Jerusalem, the reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) world minimumweight champion received inspiring pieces of advice from two former world champions as he bids to defend his title on May 27 in the United States.

Jerusalem and multiple division world champions Nonito Donaire Jr. and Donnie Nietes recently met during the opening of ZIP Boxing and Wellness Center at the Sundance Residences along E. Duterte Street.

Nietes and Donaire were guests of honor during the opening.

Jerusalem will defend his world title on May 27 against Puerto Rican Olympian Oscar Collazo in Los Angeles, California.

For Donaire, the former four-division world champion, Jerusalem should always believe in himself and continue to work hard to remain on top.

“Una, champ, training lang ug sakto kay naa naka sa taas, daghan naghangad sa imoha, so train hard. Ang problema nato mga Filipino kay wala kaayo ta bilib sa atong kaugalingon kay lagi gikan ta sa kapobrehon, pero karon naa naka sa taas, bilib gyud sa imong kaugalingon. Naabot ka diha sa taas kay nibilib ka sa imong kaugalingon, ni train ka ug sakto,” said the 40-year-old Donaire who is in Cebu to train for a fight scheduled later this year.

“Paningkamot ug stay sa taas as long as you want. Kinahanglan sad nimo mo tuman ug train hard ug bilib ra sa imong kaugalingon kay dako kaayo ang dungog inyong gihatag sa inyong pamilya ug sa Pilipinas.”

Meanwhile, Nietes who is Jerusalem’s former stablemate at the ALA Boxing Gym gave some useful tips to the latter.

“Sa akong experience nga niduwa ko sa Mexico, na feel nako nga mura ra ko ug naa sa Pilipinas. Ako lang gibutang sa akong utok nga kanang mga taw nga nitan-aw, ako ra gi imagine nga diri sila nag cheer sa ako-a,” said Nietes, a former three-division world champion.

“Mao ra gyud na akong maingon, kung mo dula mo sa laing lugar, ayaw ninyo i pressure inyong kaugalingon nga naa mo sa laing lugar, huna-hunaon nato nga kita ang hawod, dili ta mag pa itoy-itoy.”

Nietes once held the WBO world minimumweight title for three years and defended it four times before moving into the heavier weight divisions.

Jerusalem claimed the world title via a sensational second-round technical knockout win last January against Masataka Taniguchi of Japan.

The 29-year-old Jerusalem who is now one of ZIP Sanman Boxing Gym’s banner boxers will fly to the United States later this month to wrap up his training there with his coach, Michael Domingo, and stablemate KJ Cataraja.

He will put his 20-2 (win-loss) record with 12 knockouts at stake against the younger Collazo who is unbeaten in six fights with four knockouts.

This will be Jerusalem’s first time to fight in the United States and he is eager to make a statement in one of the notable boxing venues in the world.    /rcg

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