Yudai Shigeoka vs Melvin Jerusalem Preview March 31st, 2024
WBC Minimumweight Boss Yudai Shigeoka of Japan puts his belt on the line against Melvin Jerusalem of the Philippines this Sunday, March 31st. The 12-rounder takes place in Nagoya, Japan and can be seen live on DAZN in most nations with the card getting underway about 3am ET. Shigeoka last boxed in October when he beat Panya Pradabsri by a unanimous decision to win his word title. Jerusalem’s last fight came in October as well when he downed Francis Jay Diaz via an eight-round unanimous decision.
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Shigeoka vs Jerasulem Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds from online sportsbook BetOnline.ag (full review here).
- Melvin Jerusalem +500
- Yudai Shigeoka -800
My Pick
The 26-year-old Shigeoka is a southpaw and the older brother of current IBF Minimumweight Champion Ginjiro Shigeoka. Yudai won four national titles in high school as a pinweight and captured the All Japan Boxing Championship in 2018 as a flyweight and made it to the finals of the World University Championships as a light flyweight. He planned on competing in the 2020 Olympic Games while attending university, dropped out of school and turned pro when the junior flyweight division was eliminated by the International Olympic Committee.
Shigeoka reportedly went 82-10 with 20 Ko’s as an amateur and he has a prefect record of 8-0 with 5 Ko’s as a pro, after making his debut in 2019. He has 50 rounds of pro experience to his name and possesses solid power with a current knockout ratio of 62.5 per cent, including four stoppages in his last six contests. Shigeoka measures 5-feet-3-inches tall with a 64-inch reach and has never fought outside of Japan as a pro.
He won the vacant Japanese Youth Light Flyweight Title in February, 2021 with a fifth-round TKO over Ryu Horikawa and added the vacant WBO Asia Pacific Minimumweight Belt in his next outing nine months later via a 12-round majority decision over Tsubasa Koura. Next in his collection was the vacant Japanese Minimumweight Crown which he won by stopping Tatsuro Nakashima in the third round. He became the WBC Interim Minimumweight Champion last April when he halted Wilfredo Mendez in the seventh frame and captured the full belt in October with his unanimous decision win over Panya Pradabsri.
As for Jerusalem, he’s 30 years old and makes the ring walk with a mark of 21-3 with 12 Ko’s and has fought 140 rounds since turning pro in 2014 following his amateur career. As an amateur, he won a silver medal at the Philippine National Games in 2014 as a light flyweight in the Elite Men’s Division. He has better-than average power as 57. 1 per cent of his victories have come by stoppage, but has halted just two of his past six opponents.
At a height of 5-feet-2-inches with a 62-inch reach, he gives up an inch in height and two inches in reach to the champion. Jerusalem’s first loss came at the hands of Chayaphon Moonsri by 12-round unanimous decision in 2017 in a shot at the WBC Minimumweight Title after having a point deducted in the eighth round for a low blow. The final scorecards read 114-113, 114-113 and 115-113. He then lost his very next fight when Joey Canoy beat him via a 10-round unanimous decision after Jeruslaem was dropped in the seventh round and once again was deducted a point for low blows in the eighth round.
The third loss on his record came to Oscar Collazo last May when he was stopped after seven rounds to lose his WBO Minimumweight Title. Jerusalem had won the belt just four months earlier when he halted Masataka Taniguchi in the second round. This will be Jerusalem’s fourth fight outside of his Filipino homeland and his second contest in Japan.
Prediction…
Shigeoka has the edge here as he’s fighting in his homeland, possesses more power and is the naturally bigger man. However, Jerusalem can’t be taken lightly as he’s a fine boxer with speed and has the skills to pull off a bit of an upset here. I think he’ll have his moments in the fight, but I believe Shigeoka will retain his title in a close, hard-fought contest.
Shigeoka has a slight edge in most areas.
Play Shigeoka -800 @ BetOnline.ag
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Melvin Jerusalem betting • Yudai Shigeoka betting