Ancajas on course for unification with Ioka after Rodriguez title duel

Stalled last year, Jerwin Ancajas wants to fast track his ring career in 2021.

Scheduled to tackle Mexican Jonathan Rodriguez in April, Ancajas is looking forward to a unification showdown with Japanese Kazuto Ioka. And, if successful, a third fight looms for the long-reigning Filipino champion before the year ends.

Though Rodriguez offers a serious threat for Ancajas’ ninth defense of the International Boxing Federation super flyweight belt in Las Vegas, MP (Manny Pacquiao) Promotions president Sean Gibbons is already arranging a double title duel between the pride of Panabo City and Ioka, who beat compatriot Kozei Tanaka on December 31 in Japan to keep the World Boxing Organization 115-pound crown.

Gibbons, in fact, posted a poster teaser of the Ancajas-Rodriguez fight on Facebook with the tag “2021!! Unification!!”

This development was confirmed by Joven Jimenez, Ancajas’ trainer, on Friday from Los Angeles, where they have been training with Tokyo Olympics-bound Eumir Marcial and former world title contender Jonas Sultan.

According to Jimenez, still recovering from a long bout with recurring fever, they resumed their workouts on Monday, upon the return of Ancajas, Marcial and Sultan from a holiday break in Las Vegas.

Jimenez said hard training will start as soon as a definite date for Ancajas’ fight with Rodriguez has been announced.

For now, Jimenez is content on watching Ancajas train with Marcial, who is expected to have his second pro fight in March, and Sultan, best remembered for beating Johnriel Casimero, the current World Boxing Organization bantamweight champion, in an eliminator for the right to challenge Ancajas in 2017.

Ancajas, who holds a 32-1-2 record with 22 knockouts, last fought on December 7, 2019, when he stopped Chilean Miguel Gonzalez in the sixth round in Puebla, Mexico, for his eighth defense of the title he has held since 2016.

Rodriguez (22-1, 16 knockouts) took only 2 minutes and 27 seconds to dispose of countryman Julian Yedras last December 4, serving notice he’ll be tough to beat.

Ancajas knows that, of course, but the pride of Panabo City now residing in Magallanes, Cavite, is bent on making up for last year’s lost opportunities. – Rappler.com