Jerusalem keeps crown; Marcial hogs spotlight in ‘Thrilla in Manila 2’

Melvin Jerusalem, Eumir Marcial, and other Filipinos shine in the 13-fight card staged to commemorate the 50th year of the classic 'Thrilla in Manila'

MANILA, Philippines – Melvin Jerusalem finished strong to beat South African Siyakholwa Kuse by unanimous decision and retain the World Boxing Council minimumweight belt, capping a strong showing by homegrown talents in “Thrilla in Manila 2” that started Wednesday, October 29, and ended early Thursday, October 30, at the Araneta Coliseum.

Ahead on two scorecards and behind on one after eight rounds, Jerusalem fared better in the next four, wobbling Kuse in the homestretch to prevail, 116-112, 116-112, and 115-113, in his third defense of the 105-pound crown.

It was Eumir Marcial, however, who earned the adulation of the big crowd when he survived two knockdowns to best Venezuelan power-puncher Eddy Colmenares by majority decision in their middleweight encounter that could be a Fight of the Year contender.

Showing willpower and fighting spirit, the Filipino Olympic bronze medalist rose from the deck in the third round to take control, before getting clipped by a counter right in the dying seconds of the 10th, putting the outcome in the balance.

Marcial, who turned 30 on Wednesday, squeezed out a 95-93, 95-93, 94-94 victory, to raise his record to 7-0 with four knockouts.

Colmenares’ slate fell to 11-3-1, all of his wins by knockout.

Prime prospect Carl Jammes Martin traded “soft” knockdowns with Thai veteran Aran Dipaen, but controlled most of the 10-rounder to earn a unanimous decision, 98-81, 97-92, 98-90, and clinch the World Boxing Organization super bantamweight crown.

The 26-year-old Martin, who got clipped by Dipaen while off-balanced in the third, climbed to 27-0 with 20 knockouts. Dipaen, who was also given the count in the ninth when Martin grazed him with a shot while on the wrong foot, tumbled to 21-5 with 18 knockouts.

Former two-division world champion Marlon Tapales knocked out Venezuelan Fernando Toro in the sixth round to continue his drive for another title crack.

Tapales rocked Toro twice in the fifth round, then landed a crackling right to the jaw at the 2:31 mark of the next to improve to 41-4 with 22 knockouts. Toro dropped to 11-3 with 9 knockouts.

The 13-fight card staged by Manny Pacquiao Promotions and IBA Pro commemorates the 50th year of the classic “Thrilla in Manila,” waged by the late greats Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier on Oct. 1, 1975. The event also featured a middleweight fight between Nico Ali Walsh, Ali’s grandson, and Thai Kittisak Klinson that ended in majority draw with scores of 77-75 (Klinson) and 76-76 (twice).