Bruised and beaten, Siya Kuse will no doubt be a disappointed man today.

But in narrowly losing to hometown favourite Melvin Jerusalem for the WBC minimumweight championship in the Philippines, the South African can still take great heart from his heroic performance.

As no less an icon than Nelson Mandela once said, “I never lose. I either win or learn.”

Indeed, Kuse would have learned more in his 13th bout than the dozen that preceded it.

How to pace. How to counter. How to engage the gears. How to assert yourself. How to defend. How to pressure. How to raise your game.

There was little shame in going down fighting to a man making his third title defence on a grand stage – the 50th anniversary of the Thriller in Manila with the great Manny Pacquiao in attendance.

Growing up in impoverished circumstances, Kuse couldn’t have dared to dream he would one day top such an event, in an exotic locale, against one of the best fighters in the business.

But dream he did

Officially, he lost by scores of 116-112 (twice) and 115-113. Unofficially, there were many who believed he had done enough to sneak the win, chief among them Rodney Berman, who was in the Araneta Coliseum.

The promoter felt there had been some home cooking at play and lauded Kuse for his performance. “World class, and it was just his 13th fight,” he said, adding that he would continue to steer him to another world title shot with an announcement said to be imminent.

It was a gritty showing by both boxers late on Wednesday.

The early rounds were marked by slips, fouls, and nervy exchanges, with Kuse’s aggression offset by Jerusalem’s counter-punching. As the fight progressed, Kuse pressed forward, testing Jerusalem’s resolve, but his defensive lapses proved costly.

He was fortunate to have a third-round knockdown recorded as a slip – he went down briefly after a shot to the side of the head – as it could have altered the rhythm of the contest.

Both fighters traded flurries and body shots, swinging wildly for advantage in a contest with no clear control. Open scoring fuelled suspense, and in the desperate final rounds, each man responded to adversity with bursts of energy.

Jerusalem’s late surge landed telling shots, leaving both warriors unsure, yet respected, at the final bell.

The official scorecards, while disappointing, cannot erase the reality of what Kuse achieved. Against a defending champion in his hostile backyard, Kuse delivered a heroic, world-class performance that proved his championship pedigree in just his 13th fight.

The contest was razor-thin, and the valuable lessons learned (managing pace, asserting authority, and weathering a late storm) were paid for in blood and sweat.

Berman’s commitment to an imminent world title announcement speaks volumes: the boxing world knows Kuse belongs at the top.

True to the spirit of the icon who inspired him, Kuse did not lose; he simply learned how to win next time. This bruising night in Manila closes one chapter but opens another, far more compelling one.

Siya Kuse heads home not as a defeated man, but as a contender ready to complete the dream.