Wanheng Menayothin defends WBC title in a close fight against Jerusalem!




(photo courtesy of The Champion-Thailand)



Thailand's Wanheng Menayothin retains his WBC minimumweight title with a hard fought 12 rounds unanimous decision win over Filipino Melvin Jersusalem. Scores were 114-113, 115-113, 114-113 earlier in Thailand. 

Jerusalem lost a point in the eighth for repeated low blows. The Filipino started well knocking Wanheng off balance into the ropes in first and also taking the second but then Wanheng started to take over in the middle rounds with his combinations, body punching and superior infighting. The lost point for the low blow seemed to wake Jerusalem up as he started to connect with power shots in the eighth and ninth. The 10th went to the Thai who boxed and flurried well as Jerusalem lunged and missed with his winging hooks. After a close 11th, Jerusalem went all out in the last round but Wanheng, knowing he was ahead, didn't take any chances and stayed out of danger, keeping a tight guard and clinching when Jerusalem got inside. Good action fight, Jerusalem acquitted himself well and could be a real force in the future while Wanheng wasn't at his best but he was able to use his full array of skills and experience to fend off perhaps his toughest challenge for the title to date.

Loriel Macalma of Asian Fight Scene

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