MANILA, Philippines — Dalawang bagay ang nasa isip ni WBC minimumweight champion Melvin Jerusalem.
Una ay pag-isahin ang 105-pound title, kahit man lang ang WBC, WBA at WBO versions dahil isa pang Pinoy na si Pedro Taduran ang may hawak ng IBF belt.
Pangalawa ay ang paghihiganti sa mapait na pagkatalo na dinanas niya sa Los Angeles noong 2022.
Ang dalawang iniisip niya ay humahantong sa isang showdown kay WBA/WBO ruler Oscar Collazo ng Puerto Rico.
Sumuko si Jerusalem sa laban pagtatapos ng ikapitong round sa pagkatalo kay Collazo sa isang TKO tatlong taon na ang nakalilipas.
Malapit ang laban ngunit sumuko ang katawan ni Jerusalem dahil sa pagod na dulot ng jet lag at walang tulog na gabi.
Natutunan niya ang kanyang aral. Gusto ni Jerusalem ng rematch at handa si Collazo na bigyan siya ng pangalawang pagkakataon.
“Wala si Melvin sa laban na iyon,” paggunita ng pinuno ng MP Promotions na si Sean Gibbons. “It took a while before he got his US visa and when he did, there was little time to acclimatize. I saw the look on Melvin’s face before the fight. It wasn’t the look of a winner. They took a survey on how the fans scored the fight and Collazo was ahead by just a point despite Melvin’s condition. He really wasn’t mentally ready in the ring. Next time, it be a different time, Melvin’ll.”
“Wala si Melvin sa laban na iyon,” paggunita ng pinuno ng MP Promotions na si Sean Gibbons. “It took a while before he got his US visa and when he did, there was little time to acclimatize. I saw the look on Melvin’s face before the fight. It wasn’t the look of a winner. They took a survey on how the fans scored the fight and Collazo was ahead by just a point despite Melvin’s condition. He really wasn’t mentally ready in the ring. Next time, it be a different time, Melvin’ll.”
Dahil hawak ni Collazo ang WBA at WBO strap, ang tunggalian ay mangangahulugan ng pagkakaisa ng tatlong sinturon. “We want the big fight,” ani ng promoter ni Jerusalem na si JC Manangquil.
“Gusto nina Collazo at Melvin kaya tinitingnan namin ‘yan. Si Melvin ay nasa US at least a month before the rematch kaya walang jet lag kapag lumaban siya. Kung walang rematch kay Collazo, we can wait for Melvin to defend his title on the ‘Thrilla In Manila’ golden anniversary card sa Araneta sa October.”
If ever, maaaring sa July ang rematch. Si Collazo, 28, ay magmumula sa fifth round disposal ni Edwin Cano sa Cancun, Mexico, noong Marso 29, isang araw bago ang Jerusalem outpointed Yudai Shigeoka sa Tokoname, Japan.
