Golden Gloves chief executive officer Rodney Berman has hailed Melvin Jerusalem after the Filipino boxer agreed to come defend his World Boxing Council (WBC) minimumweight title in South Africa as he meets Siyakholwa Kuse this coming Saturday.
Jerusalem is scheduled to collide against Kuse in a rematch at the Emperors Palace in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, just seven months after the two boxers clashed in Manila, Philippines. Jerusalem won the first fight by a unanimous decision.
Referring to Jerusalem’s decision to come to South Africa, Berman said: “It is the mark of a great champion. He’s happy to come to South Africa to defend against Kuse. The South African public is gonna see one of the great fights ever on Saturday night. It’s gonna be a great night of boxing.”
So serious is the 32-year-old Jerusalem about winning this fight that he arrived in South Africa more than two weeks before the clash as he wanted to acclimatise to the Highveld weather. – Monwabisi Jimlongo
