Filipino boxer Melvin Jerusalem upset the applecart as he defeated Japanese Yudai Shigeoka by a split decision at the International Conference Hall in Nagoya, Japan, on Sunday.
The 30-year-old Jerusalem decked Shigeoka twice – in the third and sixth rounds – on his way to winning the World Boxing Council (WBC) minimumweight title.
Jae Bong Kim and Berry Lindenman had Jerusalem winning by 114-112 on their score cards while Malcolm Bulner had Shigeoka winning by 114-113.
Meanwhile, Shigeoka’s younger brother Ginjiro Shigeoka successfully defended his International Boxing Federation (IBF) minimumweight crown with a second round stoppage win over Jake Amparo from the Philippines.
