Melvin Jerusalem put a screeching halt to Philippine boxing’s world title drought after knocking out defending champion Masataka Taniguchi of Japan in the second round last night to capture the WBO minumumweight crown at the EDION Arena in Osaka.
The sensational victory was a huge boost as Jerusalem crowned himself as the country’s lone world boxing champion following the successive losses suffered by Filipino champions in 2022.
Jerusalem pulled off the trick when he landed a right straight to the jaw of Taniguchi, who was making the second defense of the WBO 105-lb strap.
The Japanese attempted to get up and stumbled before finally rising but Puerto Rican referee Roberto Ramirez didn’t even bother to count to ten and halted the fight as Taniguchi was not fit to continue.
“I just told myself to be focused in this fight,” Jerusalem said after his smashing showing on hostile territory.
Jerusalem, managed by JC Mananquil of General Santos City, hails from Cebu.
