A month before the mandatory defense of his title, Melvin Jerusalem on Thursday expressed readiness for Puerto Rican Oscar Collazo, who will be attempting to knock the World Boxing Organization minimumweight crown off the Filipino’s head on 27 May.
After spending a month in Japan for the initial phase of his buildup, Jerusalem set up camp in Cebu City where he has been training the last three weeks.
Under the watchful eyes of lead trainer Michael Domingo, Jerusalem told Daily Tribune that the sparring facet of his preparation is solid.
“Aside from my regular sparmates, we have also recruited a few from other boxing gyms,” Jerusalem said.
He had won the WBO 105-lb title by knocking out Masataka Taniguchi on 6 January at the EDION Arena in Osaka.
Jerusalem’s showdown with the unbeaten Collazo will take place in Los Angeles and his think-tank wants to head to the United States the soonest to acclimatize to the local conditions.
JC Mananquil, who promotes the champion, said the target is to fly Jerusalem in the first week of May and not later than two weeks before the bout.
Jerusalem is guaranteed a purse of $114,000 while Collazo gets $38,000 after Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions won the purse bid.
One of two reigning Filipino world boxing champions, the other being newly-minted two-belt titlist Marlon Tapales, Jerusalem packs a 20-2 record with 12 knockouts.
Collazo, an accomplished amateur back in the day, has a 6-0 slate with four knockouts.
