Melvin Jerusalem. | Photo from Jerusalem’s Facebook post
CEBU CITY, Philippines— With just two weeks remaining before fight night, reigning World Boxing Council (WBC) world minimumweight champion Melvin “Gringo” Jerusalem is in peak condition.
Jerusalem, who is currently training in Cebu, announced that he weighed 110 pounds ahead of his highly anticipated March 30 rematch against former champion Yudai Shigeoka in Tokoname, Japan.
In accordance with WBC regulations, fighters must undergo a weigh-in 14 days before their bout and must not exceed five percent of the division’s weight limit.
The 31-year-old champion shared this update via his Facebook page on Friday, March 14, posting a video of himself completing a long-distance run while wearing a sauna suit to shed excess weight.
Jerusalem, also a former World Boxing Organization (WBO) world minimumweight champion, tipped the scales at 110 pounds—just five pounds above the division’s 105-pound limit—demonstrating his discipline and commitment to making weight.
He will need to stay within three percent of the weight limit during another pre-fight weigh-in one week before the bout, as required by WBC rules.
For months, Jerusalem has been rigorously preparing for his rematch against Shigeoka, training in Cebu, Japan, and Mindanao. He previously stunned the Japanese fighter with a majority decision victory last year, knocking him down twice en route to claiming the WBC title.
Shigeoka, determined to reclaim his belt, has also undergone intense preparation. He spent several weeks training in Manila before returning to Japan to complete his camp.
Jerusalem, who fights under the Cebu-based ZIP Sanman Boxing Team, holds a professional record of 23 wins (12 by knockout) and three losses. Meanwhile, Shigeoka, who suffered his first career defeat at Jerusalem’s hands, enters the rematch with a 9-1 record, including five knockouts.