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Philippines, 30 Mar 2026 |
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Jerusalem Easily Repeats Over Shigeoka, Spoils A Huge Boxing Weekend for Japan By Teodoro Medina Reynoso PhilBoxing.com Mon, 31 Mar 2025  Melvin Jerusalem successfully retained his WBC world minimumweight crown with an easier 12 round unanimous decision victory over former titlist Yudai Shigeoka at the Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname, Japan Sunday night. With the win, Jerusalem spoiled what was shaping as a very fruitful weekend for Japan boxing after earlier seeing Japanese fighters making a clean sweep of major bouts including Masamachi Yabuki wresting the IBF flyweight title and another Nippon fighter winning the OPBF super flyweight crown in just his third pro fight. As he promised, Jerusalem came well prepared to defend his crown for the second time against the very fighter from whom he snatched it a year ago via questionable split decision despite scoring two knockdowns in Nagoya. There were no knockdowns this time but Melvin thoroughly outclassed Yudai, convincing all three neutral judges to award him their verdict, including American Chris Tellez who almost gave him a clean sweep of all the 12 rounds, 119-109 . The other judges, a Briton and a Thai scored the fight 118-110 and 116-112 respectively, both for Jerusalem who proved that his first victory over Yudai was no fluke and in the process, raised his record to 24-3 with 12 KOs. It was a clinical, masterful performance by the Jerusalem, one of two Filipino current world champions, the other being Pedro Taduran who won the IBF world minimumweight title by technical knockout over Yudai's younger brother Ginjiro in July last year. Yudai had been expected to come up with different strategies in this rematch but whatever they may have been didn't work as Melvin won the fight more easily and comfortably, banking on his advantage in experience and maturity over Shigeoka who only was into his 11th pro contest. Earlier in Tokyo boxing main event, IBF light flyweight titlist Masamachi Yabuki wrested the IBF world flyweight title by last round stoppage over Mexican defending titleholder Angel Ayala in a bloody encounter capped by three knockdowns scored by the Japanese. Ayala had won the vacant title late last year by stopping Filipino Dave Apolinario in Mexico and was fighting for the first time outside of his homeland against the veteran Yabuki. Yabuki is expected to vacate his light flyweight crown as he is already having weight issues at 108 lbs. Filipino Christian Araneta who has been mandatory challenger in the division is expected to be named as one of the two top contenders to fight to fill the vacancy. In the undercard, Aoi Yokohama outpointed Filipino Geimel Magramo to capture the OPBF super flyweight title in only his third professional bout. Two other veteran Filipino former world title challengers Jeo Santissima and Michael Dasmarinas were likewise beaten by up-and-coming Japanese fighters. Melvin Jerusalem saved the day for Philippine boxing once again! 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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