CLAIMS WBO WORLD TITLE
Great news to wake up to !
Who says the little guys can’t punch!
Earlier today in Osaka, Japan, the first new world champion of 2023 was crowned, as Filipino challenger Melvin Jerusalem sensationally took out defending WBO minimumweight champ, or strawweight champion if you prefer, Masataka Taniguchi with one big right hand to the chin in the second round. Jerusalem nailed the southpaw champion with a straight right hand that landed flush, Taniguchi going down heavily and then attempting to get up far too quickly. His equilibrium gone, Taniguchi was saved from any more by the referee. Time was 1:04. New champ Jerusalem is now 20-2(11). Taniguchi, who was making the second defence of the title and was a big favourite to win today’s fight,falls to 16-4(11).
Taniguchi won the opening round, this with his right jab; the challenger looking somewhat nervous and unsettled, with Jerusalem guilty of slinging some wild shots. This made the stunning, one-punch ending all the more, well, stunning. There could be no arguments about the stoppage, and, with his big win, Jerusalem restored some pride to the Philippines; the country having ended 2022 with not one reigning world champion.
28 year old Jerusalem, who has never been stopped and who lost to Wanheng Menayothin in his only other world title chance, this in January of 2017, for the WBC strawweight title, has now won his last nine fights, 5 by stoppage. A big puncher for such a small guy, this 105 pounder is a fighter to watch. It will be interesting to see who “Gringo,” as Jerusalem is known, fights next.
Bacolod's Genesis Servania will fight China's rising star Aketelieti Yelejian for the WBO Asia Lightweight title this November.
The highly-anticipated match up will take place on the undercard of the IBF world title fight between Pedro Taduran and Zhu DianXing at Jeju Island, South Korea.
Aketelieti Yelejian, who suffered a narrow loss to the Prince Albert Pagara in June, rebounded with an impressive IBF Asia victory against Korean Jin Su Kim in Vietnam recently. He is a very rangy and deceptive boxer known for his relaxed combinations, and he's supremely confident in his ability to take down Servania and claim the title.
"I've studied Servania's style, and I know I have the skills to outmaneuver him," Yelejian said yesterday.
"I'm excited to represent China on the international stage once more, and bring home an impressive win against a top and proven boxer like Genesis."
Servania, a seasoned veteran with a 35-4 record, boasts a reputation for toughness that has come from battles at the top level. And has still possesses some of the best body shots in the sport of boxing.
This important title shot gives the filipino the opportunity to re-establish himself on the world scene once more, and it's best remembered that his only defeats have came against world-ranked champions like Oscar Valdez and Andres Cortes.
But the China team have already confidently stated that Yelejian's youth, speed, height, and reach may all prove too much for the Filipino boxer.
Their optimism also exudes for the world title bout, where surprisingly, they are quite dismissive of Pedro Taduran's hopes of beating star Zhu DianXing. They actually rate their boxer so highly, they have predicted that the champion has no chance of retaining the belt.
These claims set up an intriguing backdrop for two massive Philippines v China feature bouts.
Fight Details :
- Date: Saturday, November 23rd
- Location: Jeju Island, South Korea
- Title: WBO Asia Lightweight
- Contenders: Aketelieti Yelejian (China) vs. Genesis Servania (Philippines)
