FORMER world title challengers Arthur Villanueva and Melvin Jerusalem have been booked in the undercard of Pinoy Pride 44 on June 9 in the Maasin City Gym in Maasin City.
Villanueva, a two-time world title challenger, is up against fellow veteran Renren Tesorio in a 10-rounder.
The 29-year-old Villanueva is coming off a sixth-round technical knockout, the first of his career, in the hands of former world champion Luis Nery last November in Mexico.
This fight should be a good confidence-booster for Villanueva, who is still ranked No. 10 in the World Boxing Council (WBC) bantamweight rankings.
The 26-year-old Tesorio is an experienced fighter who has fought the likes of Japanese stars Daigo Higa and Toshiyuki Igarashi.
After losing six straight contests, Tesorio bounced back this year with a unanimous decision win over Kyota Otsuka.
Villanueva is 31-3 with 17 knockouts, while Tesorio is 16-12-3 with four knockouts.
Jerusalem, on the other hand, trades leathers with fellow youngster Philip Luis Cuerdo in also a 10-round fight.
The 24-year-old Jerusalem has since bounced back from back-to-back defeats to WBC minimumweight champion Wanheng Menayothin and Joey Canoy, after a unanimous decision win over Jestoni Racoma.
The 22-year-old Cuerdo is coming off a majority decision win over Kevin Aseniero.
Jerusalem is 12-2 with seven knockouts, while Cuerdo is 10-4-1 with four knockouts.
The main event features Albert Pagara fighting Laryea Gabriel Odoi for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Inter-Continental super bantamweight crown. (EKA)
