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Philippines, 31 Dec 2025 |
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Jerusalem-Shigeoka Rematch this December? By Teodoro Medina Reynoso PhilBoxing.com Sun, 06 Oct 2024  For years now just as when most boxing nations close shop for the holiday season, promoters in Japan use it to pamper Japanese boxing fans by staging multiple world title matches. This yearend will not be any different with no less than Japanese hero Naoya Inoue leading an expected stellar cast as he defends his undisputed world super bantamweight championship on Christmas eve in Tokyo . In his third fight and as many title defenses this 2024, Inoue will take on his IBF and WBO mandatory challenger Sam Goodman of Australia who like him is also undefeated. Tekken Promotion is yet to come out with the full lineup of bouts but it is expected that at least a couple of world title bouts will support the Inoue vs Goodman main event fight. Will the rematch between Melvin Jerusalem and Yudai Shigeoka for the WBC world minimumweight title be among them? It is possible. But not likely. Tekken and the Kameda group are not known to co-promote big fights in Japan. And with Japan Boxing Council still frowning upon the Kamedas for their past defiance, Tekken may not like to "taint" a yearend mainer starring no less than Japan's biggest boxing hero Inoue. However, Japan is also known for staging big fights until New Year's eve so it is still very possible that Kameda will exercise its option on Jerusalem by making him defend his WBC title against Yudai in a separate promotion before the end of the year. Jerusalem scored two knockdowns in defeating Yudai by split decision last March 31, 2024 to wrest the title in Nagoya, Japan. Since they last met, Jerusalem and Yudai had both figured in a fight each, separated by just two days. On September 22, Jerusalem successfully made a first defense defeating Mexican mandatory challenger Luis Castillo in the Philippines via near shut out unanimous decision. Two days later, Yudai 27, made his comeback by beating Filipino former IBF titlist Samuel Salva via close but unanimous decision at the Yamato Arena in Suita, Japan. It is also possible that instead of Yudai, Kameda will make Melvin defend against Ginjiro Shigeoka, 24, his younger brother who lost his IBF 105 crown via 9th round stoppage to another Filipino, Pedro Taduran last July. In any event, Melvin Jerusalem has to prepare well to keep the WBC crown. The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.  |
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