WBC minimumweight champion Melvin Jerusalem will spend two weeks in South Africa ahead of his highly anticipated rematch against Siyakholwa Kuse.The bout is set for May 16 at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park.
Jerusalem’s camp opted for an early arrival to acclimatise to local conditions — a crucial move aimed at avoiding breathing issues in the ring and ensuring peak performance on fight night.The Filipino champion travelled from Japan, where he had been in intensive training camp preparing for the showdown.
This fight marks a rematch between the two, after Jerusalem secured a hard-earned points victory at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Manila in October last year. Promoter Rodney Berman played a key role in securing the return bout, negotiating successfully to bring it to South African soil.Now, the spotlight shifts to Kuse.
Victory would not only avenge his previous defeat but also etch his name into South African boxing history.A win would see Kuse become the country’s first WBC champion since Dingaan “Rose of Soweto” Thobela, who claimed the title in 2000 with a points victory over Glen Catley at Carnival City.
Before Thobela, Thulani “Sugarboy” Malinga made history in 1996 as South Africa’s first WBC champion, defeating Nigel “Dark Destroyer” Benn on points in the United Kingdom.Kuse now has the chance to follow in those footsteps — and bring a prestigious world title back home.
