Pressed for time, world champion Melvin Jerusalem immediately buckled down to work at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood on Wednesday morning barely 24 hours after arriving in the United States from the Philippines.
Jerusalem will make the first defense of his World Boxing Organization minimumweight crown — a mandatory — against Puerto Rican Oscar Collazo on 27 May at the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California.
Whether the time difference and the short time he has to cope with jet lag and get used to the weather in Southern California is tops on Jerusalem’s handlers.
Jerusalem won the WBO 105-lb crown with a one-punch, second-round knockout of Masataka Taniguchi of Japan last January at the EDION Arena in Osaka.
Handling Jerusalem’s last few days of training is veteran Michael Domingo, who will be assisted by KJ Cataraja in the gym and corner work.
Jerusalem won the WBO 105-lb crown with a one-punch, second-round knockout of Masataka Taniguchi of Japan last January at the EDION Arena in Osaka.
In the next few days, other key members of Jerusalem’s entourage are arriving in America to support the fighter’s bold bid to repulse the challenge of the unbeaten Collazo.
During his Wild Card visit, Jerusalem posed with photos with Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach.
