Philippines, 18 Sep 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Do the Oddsters Know Something We Don't?


PhilBoxing.com





It's really surprising and puzzling that oddsmakers in Japan have installed former titlist Yudai Shigeoka a slight 10-8 favorite over Filipino defending WBC minimumweight champion Melvin Jerusalem in their title rematch this March 30, 2025 in Aichi, Japan.

Do they know something we don't? Of course, Yudai has the advantage of fighting at home and before home crowd.

Reminds me of the scene in the movie "A Bridge Too Far" when almost the same question was asked by British airborne commanding general (played by actor Sean Connery) of his aide upon landing over Arnhem when a group of lunatics that escaped from a bombed up sanitarium met them with mysterious laughs and giggles. Of course those lunatics were just being themselves and didn't know that a full Nazi Panzer Division was at Arnhem on R&R instead of opposing "low quality" German conscripts as the lightly-armed airborne force were told by the top brass.

As WW2 history has it, Operation Market Garden as the bold military move was called ended in a disaster.

I am not saying that Jerusalem is facing in Shigeoka an opposition as formidable as a German armored force or that Melvin is not adequately prepared and armed.

Melvin had faced and defeated the same Yudai Shigeoka March last year scoring two knockdowns on the way to a split decision win for the WBC crown. But even at that time, one was tempted to ask, "Jerusalem decked Yudai twice and outboxed him but had to settle for just a split decision, meaning to say a judge even had Yudai the winner?"

Judging in world title bouts in Japan has improved a lot especially with the use of neutral panel of judges.

Still, it is not assuring when a fighter like Melvin who had scored two knockdowns and the better of the exchanges had to literally walk the wire in securing a split decision.

And certainly when just recently, the referee raised the arms of the clear loser, Shokichi Iwata, almost clueless of the fight he had just officiated and in almost in total disregard of the official announcement that Puerto Rican challenger Rene Santiago was the winner by unanimous decision!

There are two ways that ring officials regardless of being so called neutrals can affect a world title fight in favor of the hometown fighter: Either through biased judging or through partial refereeing.

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.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • “Thrilla” card takes shape
    By Joaquin Henson, , Thu, 18 Sep 2025
  • Wishing Best to Jayson Vayson in his World Title Challenge!
    By Carlos Costa, , Thu, 18 Sep 2025
  • Vayson aims to make history
    By Joaquin Henson, , Thu, 18 Sep 2025
  • KAIPO GALLEGOS TRAINING CAMP NOTES
    , Thu, 18 Sep 2025
  • Day Two of 2025 USA Boxing National Open Delivers 108 Action-Packed Bouts in Tulsa
    , Thu, 18 Sep 2025
  • Bryce Mills Boxes James Bernadin At del Lago Resort & Casino On Thursday, Oct. 30, in Waterloo, NY
    , Thu, 18 Sep 2025
  • Caribbean Clash Returns Friday, November 7th at Gulfstream Park Casino in Hallandale, Florida
    , Thu, 18 Sep 2025
  • VM Sotto, City Council Recognize GM Joey Antonio
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 18 Sep 2025
  • Larida is Southern Coach of the Year
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 18 Sep 2025
  • D.C. Knockout Artist Scooter Davis Signs Promotional Contract with Top Rank
    , Thu, 18 Sep 2025
  • THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 15 SEPTEMBER 2025: Crawford Snatches Canelo's Undisputed Crown at 168 Lbs; Inoue Defeats Akhmadliev to Retain 4 Superbantam Belts; Crocker Outpoints Donovan
    By Eric Armit, , Wed, 17 Sep 2025
  • TICKET NEWS: EUBANK JR-BENN II ON SALE FROM THIS WEDNESDAY
    , Wed, 17 Sep 2025
  • “Night of Champions” Returns to Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando on September 19
    , Wed, 17 Sep 2025
  • Canelo-Crawford: The Consolidation of Boxing’s New Commercial Empire
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 17 Sep 2025
  • A New Era for Boxing: Canelo vs. Crawford Shatters Global Viewership Records on Netflix
    By Dong Secuya, , Wed, 17 Sep 2025
  • Crawford Not the First Lightweight to Distinguish Himself at Super Middleweight
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Wed, 17 Sep 2025
  • Kurt Scoby and Josh Popper Headline Boxing Insider Card September 19 in Times Square
    , Wed, 17 Sep 2025
  • Green and Gold 2025: Amateur Boxing’s International Gathering in Bolivia
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 17 Sep 2025
  • Pakistan's Sameer Khan Set to Battle for UBO Youth World Title in Brico Santig’s Sep 27 Show in Thailand
    By Carlos Costa, , Tue, 16 Sep 2025
  • SAMBO Pilipinas is Southern NSA of the Year 2025
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 16 Sep 2025
  • Kingsley “The Black Lion” Ibeh To headline historic “Legacy Nights” Inaugural Pro Boxing event in El Salvador
    , Tue, 16 Sep 2025
  • Smarts over power
    By Joaquin Henson, , Tue, 16 Sep 2025
  • HALL OF FAME FLIES FLAGS AT HALF-STAFF FOR TWO-DIVISION CHAMPION RICKY HATTON
    , Tue, 16 Sep 2025
  • Kazakhstan tops the medal table at the inaugural World Boxing Championships 2025 thanks to victory in the final bout of the competition
    , Tue, 16 Sep 2025
  • THRILLA IN MANILA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 13: JOE FRAZIER’S HUMBLE BEGINNINGS AS AN AMATEUR FIGHTER
    By Maloney L. Samaco, , Mon, 15 Sep 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.