Hindi napatulog ni Filipino boxer Melvin Jerusalem si WBC minimumweight champion Wanheng Meenayothin kaya nabigo siyang maagaw ang korona matapos matalo sa manipis na 12-round unanimous decision kamakalawa ng gabi sa Phitsanulok, Thailand.
Tabla ang dalawang boksingero sa iskor na 38-38 makaraan ang apat na round, ngunit nabago ang lahat nang bawasan ng Amerikanong referee na si Celestino Ruiz si Jerusalem ng puntos sa 8th round kahit may isang warning pa lamang sa low blow ang Pilipino kaya pumabor ang kanyang hakbang kay Meenayothin.
“It was a close fight but the outcome ultimately hung on the moment in round eight when referee Celestino Ruiz elected to deduct a point from Jerusalem for a low blow,” ayon sa ulat ni James Goyder ng The Fight Nation. “The punch was clearly well below the waistline and he had issued the Filipino a similar warning much earlier in the fight but it still seemed a little harsh.”
Kinailangan na lamang ni Meenayothin na manatiling nakatayo sa ibaba ng ring para magwagi sa iskor na 114-113, 114-113 at 115-113 pagkaraan ng 12-round.
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“Moments later the WBC’s open scoring system revealed cards which read 77-74, 77-74 and 78-74 in favour of the Thai who cruised through the “final four rounds knowing that the fight was as good as won,”ayon sa ulat. It was an anticlimactic end to a bout which had begun in much more entertaining fashion. The scorecards read 114-113, 114-113, and 115 -113 in favour of the Thai who improves to 45-0 and successfully defends his WBC 105 lbs belt for the sixth time. Jerusalem drops to 11-1 after suffering the first defeat of his career.” (Gilbert Espeña)
