Melvin Jerusalem retains WBC crown

The two-time straw weight champion retained his WBC title with a second victory over former champion Yudai Shigeoka.

Jerusalem, with a 24-3 record (12 KOs), made the second successful defense of the WBC 105-pound belt, which he won with a split decision over then-undefeated Shigeoka, 9-2 (5 KOs), exactly 52 weeks ago in Nagoya.

Jerusalem dominated with his boxing and heavy punching, outboxing the 27-year-old Japanese southpaw every step of the way.

Judges Joseph Gwilt (118-110), Thawut Pheumsamran (116-112), and Chris Tellez (119-109) were unanimous in scoring the 31-year-old Filipino during their rematch at the Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname, Japan.

The victory raised Jerusalem’s record to a perfect 3-0 on Japanese soil, all in major title fights.