By MARK REY MONTEJO
Filipino champion Melvin Jerusalem is gunning for a dream title defense when he stakes his World Boxing Council minimumweight belt right before his home fans against undefeated Mexican Luis Castillo at the Mandaluyong City College Gym on Sunday, Sept. 22.
Jerusalem, sporting a 22-3 record with 12 knockouts, is set to share the ring with the dangerous Castillo, who remains unscathed through 21 fights with 13 KOs, and a huge home crowd expected to rally behind him – a moment the pride of Bukidnon could only imagine in his dreams.
And for that, the 30-year-old pug said he feels more excited than pressured ahead of his title defense.
“Pangarap ko talagang lumaban [dito] sa Pilipinas, wala pong pressure, excited lang po ako [na lumaban],” said.
Jerusalem in Tuesday’s PSA Forum presented by San Miguel Corporation, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Smart/PLDT, MILO, and the leading sports entertainment gateway in the country, ArenaPlus.
“Malaking advantage po kasi dito po gaganapin, kaya talagang excited na po ako.”
Castillo, however, is far from being fazed by Jerusalem’s home court advantage even as he, himself, is fighting outside of his turf in the Sinaloa state in Mexico for the first time.
He even expressed his confidence that he has enough talent and power to dethrone Jerusalem from the top of their class.
“Well, the truth is, I know it’s going to be a tough fight, but you’re going to come out victorious in this big fight, right? Or have an entertaining fight,” said Castillo through a translator alongside his trainer and coach Eduardo Montiel, brother of Fernando who once fought Nonito Donaire in 2011.
“And I want to tell the champion here that he should enjoy those days as a world champion. Clearly, I mean it,” added Castillo to which Jerusalem coolly replied: “Enjoy-in mo nalang ang pag-stay mo sa Pilipinas, makikita nalang natin sa laban.”
“We’re ready and we’re going to take him seriously and with a lot of respect,” Montiel added.
Jerusalem’s camp though knew full well that it cannot be complacent against Castillo who is known to have a sturdy chin and impressive endurance to last long in the fight.
Jerusalem, more than anyone, is also aware how fulfilling it is to defeat a champion right on his home soil, having done it against erstwhile title holder Yudai Shigeoka in Nagoya, Japan via split decision last March.
“Actually, pinaghandaan namin ‘yong long round, kasi alam namin na ‘di sya basta basta kaya inii-expect namin na di sya madaling patumbahin,” said Jerusalem’s coach and retired boxer Michael Domingo. “Pero pag makita natin ‘yong pagkakataon dun natin tirahin.”
The slugfest is under MP Promotions and Manny Pacquiao Presents: Blow-by-Blow, and will also feature some of the country’s finest boxers including Jerwin Ancajas. It will be free admission for anyone who wants to watch it live.
