By Joe Koizumi
Photos: Sumio Yamada
Filipino puncher Melvin Jerusalem (20-2, 12 KOs), 103, surprisingly dethroned WBO minimumweight champion Masataka Taniguchi (16-4, 11 KOs), 105, by a stunning knockout with a single right shot to the champ’s chin at 1:04 into the second round on Friday in Osaka, Japan. Taniguchi, a prefight favorite, controlled the initial round with his southpaw lefts to the still nervous Filipino. A trick happened when Jerusalem landed a perfect right to the button, dropping him on the seat of his trunks. The champ attempted to stand up too quickly (he should have stayed there for some more seconds) and couldn’t regain his equilibrium properly. He badly lost his balance and referee Roberto Ramirez Jr. from Puerto Rico waved it off to declare a TKO victory. It’s a great shocker.
WBO supervisor: Tsuyoshi Yasukochi (Japan).
Promoter: 3150 Promotions.
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Philippines back on championship column
congrats
Kind of small Jerusalem, he weighted in just 103 pounds, well done little man
Maybe a junior minimum weight division is needed.
Should have taken the 8 count. That’s a great win against a world champion who had never been stopped.
I said it all the time. These guys are too small to be fighting. They have a high rate of death.
Superb one punch ko to start the year!
@WBC, Boxing needs a 102 division especially for Indonesia, Vietnam and Philippines (Near Half a Billion population), when these folks get in shape they easily reach 100lbs or less because of their natural smaller frames.
Congratulations to Melvin Jerusalem big KO win vs a guy who came in to the ring with a +10% weight advantage