MANILA – Jerwin Ancajas will be staking his International Boxing Federation super flyweight title against Jonas Sultan in a historic all-Filipino world title clash Sunday, May 27 at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California.
This will be Ancajas’ fourth defense of the belt he won after beating Puerto Rican veteran McJoe Arroyo in September 2016 at the Philippine Marine Corp., Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.
While touted as the favored boxer for his experience, Ancajas said he does not want to get complacent against Sultan, who is also hungry for a world title.
“Parehas kaming Filipino at likas sa atin ang gutom sa championship,” Ancajas said. “Hindi rin tayo pwedeng magkumpiyansa dahil malakas si Jonas. Nakatalo na rin ito ng Pinoy na world champion, si (John Riel) Casimero.”
Ancajas added: “Ramdam ko iyong confidence ni Jonas, especially noong sinabi niyang unahan kami sa knockout win, kaya talagang matindi ang conditioning ko para sa laban na ito.”
Ancajas, 29, will parade a 29-1-1 win-loss-draw record including 20 knockout victories while the 26-year-old Sultan has a 14-3-0 slate with nine wins via stoppages.
Their bout is the first all-Filipino world title clash since Pancho Villa defeated compatriot Clever Sencio via unanimous decision to retain his world flyweight belt in 1925.
For his part Sultan said he won’t waste the chance to clinch a world title even if it means defeating a fellow Filipino.
Ancajas is “less dangerous” than Casimero, a two-division world champion, Sultan said.
“Para sa akin, itong laban na ito, napaka-importante sa isang buhay ng boksingero dahil ito ang pinapangarap ng isang boksingero – na makalaban sa isang world title fight,” he said.
“Ito iyong hinahangad ko dati pa na nag-umpisa ako sa boxing. Talagang iyong focus ko nasa world title fight – kahit pa kapwa Pinoy ang makakalaban ko,” he added./PN
