Repeat or Revenge?

On Sunday, almost a year to the day after their first encounter Melvin Jerusalem will put his WBC strawweight title on the line against Yudai Shigeoka at Aichi Sky Expo, Tokoname, Aichi, Japan.

In the first meeting Jerusalem, rated at No. 1 by The Ring at strawweight, upset Shigeoka and claimed the belt, his second world title and has since settled into his role a champion by beating his mandatory challenger Luis Castillo (UD 12).

"I'm excited for our next meeting in the ring," Jerusalem (23-3, 12 knockouts) told The Ring. "I prepared for it even more because this is my dream belt, and I will never give it up, so I really prepared for it, to retain my belt.

"Yudai is a good boxer, and he has a power punch, I already prepared to absorb his power. He has an amateur style, that's why it's not easy, but we are already prepared for it, so no problem."

It is widely expected that Shigeoka, whose younger brother Ginjiro previously held the IBF 105-pound title, will improve on the first fight.

However, Jerusalem, who took a week off after the Castillo win has remained at the gym in Banawa in Cebu City with his trainer, Micheal Domingo, ticking over, is taking everything in his stride.

"We'll see in the ring, what new style he's created for our fight, and [how] I can adjust," he said.

Jerusalem, who was on hand to accept Co-Fighter of The Year, alongside IBF ruler Pedro Taduran, at the Pacquiao Elorde awards night on March 20, arrived in Nagoya on March 23, believes his wins over Masataka Taniguchi (TKO 2) to claim the WBO 105-pound title and the previous win over Shigeoka will stand him in good stead.

"Yes, my victories in Japan are very important," he said. "I already have experience there, so I will try and do my very best to win again this match."

The 31-year-old Filipino is using his first title run as motivation to not lose the championship this time around.

"It hurts to lose the belt, that's why I tried to win again to become champion again," he explained. "I will do my best to keep the belt because it's hard to be a world champion and I will never waste it.

"I learnt a lot when I lost my belt. I kept trying harder, and I told myself that I still needed to do more to be strong in the fight, and every day I learned and wanted to learn more."

His promoter, Jim Claude Manangquil of Sanman boxing, is confident Jerusalem has Shigeoka's number and will again emerge victorious in emphatic fashion.

"While Yudai Shigeoka is an great champion, Melvin will show that his first fight was not just a stroke of luck and that he truly is the best at 105 pounds in the world," said Manangquil.

Shigeoka, rated at No. 4 by The Ring at strawweight, won five national titles and had dreams of representing Japan at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. However, when his weight class was expunged and he elected to turn professional in October 2019.

He notably edged the more experienced Tsubasa Koura (MD 12) in 2021 and stopped former world champion Wilfredo Mendez (KO 7). The 27-year-old bested Petchmanee CP Freshmart (UD 12) to become WBC titlist but surprisingly lost to Melvin Jerusalem (SD 12) but beat Samuel Salva (UD 10) on his return to set up this rematch.