Filipino boxer Melvin Jerusalem is determined to bounce back from his loss against his Puerto Rican contender Oscar Collazo.
The Bukidnon native yielded his WBO minimum flyweight title after the seventh round of his fight against Collazo on May 27.
"I'm going to relax a little bit then I'll make it up," said Jerusalem in Filipino. "I can't waste my time. I wasn't able to defend my title."
Jerusalem landed a few combinations in the early rounds of the fight. But Collazo found his openings landing body shots that put Jerusalem in trouble by the fourth round.
The Filipino boxer said difficulties in adjusting to the U.S. factored in his defeat. Jerusalem only arrived in California some two weeks ago.
"If we're going to fight here, we have to stay here long," the 29-year-old said. "I didn't really get much sleep. Our training went to waste."
Despite the loss, Jerusalem still exited the area to cheers from the crowd.
"To the Philippines, I'm sorry that we lost," he added. "I gave my best but I couldn't move anymore in the succeeding rounds."
For Collazo, the win is historic. This was his seventh fight to make him one of the fastest world champions.
The boxer, born in New Jersey but raised in Puerto Rico, told the crowd that he plans to defend his title in his home country in August.
United States, California, Sports, Boxing, WBO, Melvin Jerusalem, Oscar Collazo, TFC News