Ben Madilynn
MELVIN Jerusalem did not disappoint as he gifted us with a win worthy of hearty applause last Sunday.
The 30-year-old boxer from Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon, where the legendary golfer Frankie Miñoza was also born and raised, showed class in defeating Luis Castillo of Mexico at the jam-packed Mandaluyong City College Gym
in Metro Manila.
It was complete domination for Jerusalem, who won by unanimous decision in inflicting Castillo his first loss in 23 fights for the Mexican’s 21-1-1, win-loss-draw card.
The lopsided results in favor of Jerusalem reflected his mastery of the game but clearly outfought Castillo, with two judges seeing the Filipino the runaway winner with similar 120-107 scores and the third judge’s verdict at 118-103.
Jerusalem made it known immediately that he’d win his 24th fight, knocking down Castillo right in the first round with a right to the chin.
Although the Mexican southpaw weathered the blow, it was downhill for him from there as Jerusalem was relentless in his aggression the rest of the fight — with Castillo absorbing telling blows and being saved by the bell in the
second round.
Jerusalem even appeared set to deck Castillo anew in the 10th round as he tried to chase a knockout win for the 13th time.
The win was a huge bounce back for Jerusalem (23-3, win-loss) after losing the World Boxing Organization version of the strawweight division (105 lbs) title last year to Oscar Collazo
of Puerto Rico.
And with his conquest of the 27-year-old Castillo, Jerusalem retained his World Boxing Council crown he won last March, to the cheers of a hometown crowd in Manny Pacquiao’s “Blow by Blow” offering amid the pouring rain.
Overseas, Daniel Dubois knocked out Anthony Joshua in the fifth round, also on Sunday (Sept. 22, 2024, PH time), at the Wembley Stadium in London, England.
It was practically a total destruction as Dubois knocked down Joshua three times in the first, third, and fourth rounds en route to retaining the IBF world heavyweight crown.
Dubois could face next the winner of the Olyksandr Usyk-Tyson Fury duel on Dec. 21 in a match that stakes belts in WBA, WBO, and WBC.
But Dubois might be praying for a Fury win. Dubois lost to Usyk last year.
