MELVIN JERUSALEM scored a second-round technical win over Japanese Masataka Taniguchi and suddenly, the Philippines now has a world champion in professional boxing.
The country went six months without a single world champion until Friday when Jerusalem snatched Taniguchi’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) minimum weight belt at a jampacked crowd Edion Arena in Osaka, Japan.
The 28-year-old Bukidnon born fighter unleashed stinging jabs before finishing off Taniguchi with a lightning straight right.
That floored the Japanese and prompted referee Roberto Ramirez to stop the fight as he wobbled while trying to stand properly.
Jerusalem is now the country’s first world titleholder since Mark Magsayo, who lost his World Boxing Council featherweight crown to Rey Vargas of Mexico last July 10 in San Antonio, Texas.
Jerusalem improved his win-loss record to 20-2 with 12 knockouts while Taniguchi dropped to 16-4 with 11 knockouts.