Melvin Jerusalem is set for a homecoming defense in October, with a to-be-scheduled date in Manila against first-time title challenger Siyakholwa Kuse. It’s not the unification he chased, nor the former beltholder he expected, but the WBC titlist stays active after visa issues forced Daniel Valladares out of the frame.
Jerusalem, 24-3 (12 KOs), was aligned for Valladares, 31-4-1 (19 KOs), when the paperwork snag hit. The pivot brings in South Africa’s Kuse, 9-2-1 (4 KOs), a 22-year-old from Eastern Cape riding a six-fight streak and fresh off a 10-round unanimous decision over seasoned gatekeeper Samuel Salva on May 31 in Kempton Park. It will be Kuse’s first bout outside his home country and his first crack at a world belt.
The champion’s recent run has been steady and road-tested. A two-time titlist at 105, Jerusalem launched his previous reign with a second-round stoppage of Masataka Taniguchi in Osaka in January 2023, then ceded the WBO strap to Oscar Collazo via seventh-round stoppage that May in Indio. He’s since won four straight, splitting them between the Philippines and Japan, including two fights with Yudai Shigeoka - lifting the WBC belt in March in Nagoya and repeating the feat 52 weeks later in Tokoname. Between those came a 12-round shutout of unbeaten mandatory Luis Castillo in Mandaluyong City.
A Collazo rematch remains the long game. The unified lineal champ defends on September 20 in Indio against Jerusalem’s countryman Jayson Vayson, keeping timelines aligned if both champions handle business. For now, Jerusalem’s focus narrows to Manila - and to a young, confident Kuse stepping into his first world stage.
Image Credit: WBC