2 weeks Ago By Jingo Quijano
CONGRATULATIONS are in order for our reigning WBC minimumweight champion Melvin Jerusalem for a successful defense of his belt in a rematch against Yudai Shigeoka last weekend at the Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname, Japan. In our last column, we laid down our keys to victory for Melvin: fight smart, win the rounds as a priority instead of going go-for- broke for the knockout. And this is precisely what transpired.
THE FIGHT. At the onset, Jerusalem set the tone of the fight behind a busy work rate. In the early rounds, Melvin was busy pumping out the jab to control the distance while he also targeted Shigeoka’s body.
For his part, Shigeoka, who definitely was out to redeem himself, expectedly brought a lot of aggression and landed clean shots, but he struggled to adapt to Jerusalem’s output. He also had a hard time finding a consistent rhythm as Jerusalem showcased his movement and defensive footwork. By the midway point, Jerusalem took command via his precision counter-punching.
He even mixed up his attack, alternating between body shots and crisp uppercuts and hooks to befuddle Shigoeka. In the championship rounds, although Shigoeka was pretty much in the fight, Jerusalem still managed to outwork him and even resorted to taunting Shigeoka momentarily with quick shuffles. The scorecards, 119-110, 118-110, 116-112, were emblematic of the dominance displayed by Jerusalem over his foe.
He improved to 24-3, (12KOs), while Shigeoka dropped to 8-2, (5KOs). MASTERCLASS. What I liked about Jerusalem’s performance was that it was a tactical masterclass and he showed up in perfect condition.
His stamina and energy were consistent throughout the fight. Regrettably, some of our Pinoy pugs sorely lack these valuable traits, preferring instead to slug it out and go for broke only to fade and flame out in the latter rounds. Thank you, Melvin, for bringing pride and honor once again to our country and may your performance be an inspiration to our aspiring champions out there.
LAST ROUND. It’s on a dear friend and one of my favorite chefs, Nini Gonzales, who recently celebrated her birthday. Cheers!.
