Melvin Jerusalem. | Photo from Jerusalem’s Facebook page
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) world minimumweight champion Melvin Jerusalem is leaving Cebu for the United States tonight after his first mandatory title defense venue was officially announced.
Jerusalem would be traveling with his trainer Michael Domingo and ZIP Sanman Boxing Team stablemate Kevin Jake Cataraja to continue his training there ahead of the May 27 bout against Olympian Oscar Collazo.
In a post from Sanman Boxing, the fight venue of Jerusalem’s first world title defense is at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California.
The venue is roughly two hours east of Los Angeles where Jerusalem would likely have the remainder of his training camp.
The bout would be promoted by Collazo’s promoter, former world champion Miguel Cotto and Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions.
Both promotional outfits won the purse bid last February.
The 29-year-old Jerusalem of Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon would be fighting in the United States for the first time.
In an earlier interview, Jerusalem vowed to give his best as he was given the opportunity to fight in the mainstream boxing scene.
In addition, Jerusalem, a former standout of the ALA Boxing Gym in Cebu, said that he has all the advantage against Collazo of Puerto Rico in terms of experience and skills.
One of Collazo’s main attributes over Jerusalem was his vast amateur experience, including his stint during the Olympics and world amateur tournaments before turning pro in 2020.
The 26-year-old Puerto Rican has an undefeated record of six wins with four knockouts.
Jerusalem said that he also has a vast amateur record of over a hundred bouts before turning pro in 2014.
He dethroned erstwhile world champion Masataka Taniguchi of Japan via a second round technical knockout in Osaka, Japan last January to win the world title in his second try.
Jeruaslem has a record of 20 wins, two defeats, and 12 knockouts. His first world title shot was in 2017 against Wenhang Menayothin in Thailand for the WBC world minimumweight title where he lost by unanimous decision.
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