MELVIN Jerusalem took a purse cut to defend his World Boxing Council minimumweight title for the first time against top-ranked Mexican challenger Luis Castillo in front of his countrymen this Sunday at the Mandaluyong City College gym.

If he plays his cards right and everything goes according to plan, Jerusalem will be in for bigger paydays. He is out to beat Castillo in the headliner of the “Blow by Blow” boxing card being held to mark the 90th jubilee of Mandaluyong City Mayor Ben Abalos.

The pint-sized Pinoy defending champion and his Mexican challenger had their last press conference at the Ilang-Ilang room of the Manila Hotel yesterday, three days before the first world championship boxing match to be held in the country in the last seven years.

Fighting in front of a hometown crowd and allowing his rival just a week’s time to overcome jet lag could pay huge dividends for Jerusalem who, at 30, is three years older and three inches shorter than the unbeaten Castillo, who has a record of 21 wins, 13 by knockout, against one draw.

A native of Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon, who has chalked up 22 wins (12 KOs) against three losses, Jerusalem will try to keep the crown he took from Japanese Yudai Shigeoka via a close split decision win last March 31 at the International Conference Hall in Nagoya, Japan.

Also working for the hometown bet is the fact that Castillo will be fighting out of Mexico for the first time.

The reigning champ is a well-traveled and experienced fighter, having fought in countries such as Thailand, Puerto Rico and Japan.

Jerusalem will be wary of becoming the victim anew of losing his championship on his first title defense.

He relinquished his World Boxing Organization minimumweight crown in May last year to American Oscar Collazo, who forced the Pinoy pug into retirement after the seventh round at the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio Springs, California.

But Jerusalem has also displayed his knockout prowess, stopping Japan’s well-respected Masataka Taniguchi in the second round to win the WBO minimumweight belt on Jan. 6. 2023 at the Edion Arena in Osaka, Japan.