Melvin Jerusalem challenges Yudai Shigeoka in March in Nagoya, Japan

Filipino Melvin Jerusalem looks to once again become champion, when he faces Japanese Yudai Shigeoka live from International Conference Hall in Nagoya, Japan on Sunday, March 31. The latter brings to the ring his WBC minimumweight title. The pair squares off in the 12-round bout headlining a world championship doubleheader.

Melvin Jerusalem (21-3, 12 KOs) is a former WBO minimumweight champion. The 29-year-old won his previous bout last October by unanimous decision against Francis Jay Diaz. With the victory, he rebounded from the defeat via seventh-round RTD against Oscar Collazo last May, when he lost his belt.

Yudai Shigeoka (8-0, 5 KOs) claimed the WBC strap against former champion Panya Pradabsri by unanimous decision also last October. The 26-year-old southpaw makes his first title defence and looks to remain undefeated.

In the co-feature, ArAr Andales makes his second attempt to land a world title, when he takes on Ginjiro Shigeoka. The contest pits the former title challenger of the Philippines against Japan’s newly-crowned IBF minimumweight champion.

24-year-old ArAr Andales (14-2-3, 6 KOs) previously fought for the division’s WBA belt in August 2019, but lost the fight via seventh-round technical decision against Thammanoon Niyomtrong. Unbeaten 24-year-old southpaw Ginjiro Shigeoka (10-0, 8 KOs) stopped Daniel Valladares in the fifth round last October to become a new IBF titleholder.

The fight announcement was made by VIVA Promotions via a post on X. The event, promoted in collaboration with Matchroom Boxing, airs live on Abema TV in Japan and on DAZN in other countries.

Among the bouts featured on Shigeoka vs Jerusalem undercard, Tomoki Kameda (40-4, 22 KOs) of Japan and Lerato Dlamini (20-2, 11 KOs) of South Africa go head to head at featherweight. Riku Kunimoto (10-1, 4 KOs) defends his Japanese middleweight title against Eiki Kani (8-3-3, 4 KOs). Koshin Takeshima (7-3-1, 4 KOs) and Ei Go (1-0, 1 KOs) meet in an all-Japanese clash at lightweight.

Also on the card three middleweight bouts, featuring Ainiwaer Yilixiati (19-1, 14 KOs) of China up against British Kieron Conway (20-3-1, 5 KOs), Aaron McKenna (18-0, 9 KOs) of Ireland versus Jeovanny Estela (14-0, 5 KOs) of Orlando, Florida and Mark Dickinson (6-0, 2 KOs) of the UK opposite Anauel Ngamissengue (13-0, 8 KOs) of France by way of Congo.

Parviz Iskenderov

Parviz Iskenderov is a former Muay Thai fighter, sports manager and editor at FIGHTMAG.

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