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MANILA, Philippines – Jerwin Ancajas returned in style while Jade Bornea failed in his world title bid on Saturday, June 24 (Sunday, June 25, Philippine time) at the Minneapolis Armory in Minnesota.
Showing the form that made him a world super flyweight champion for over five years, Ancajas stopped Colombian journeyman Wilner Soto with hard body blows in the fifth round of a junior featherweight bout.
Hampered by a gory ear injury, Bornea fell prey to Argentina’s Fernando Martinez, Ancajas’ two-time tormentor, in the 11th round of their battle for the International Boxing Federation junior bantamweight belt.
Bornea, who spent over a year training in the United States, sustained a bloody cut on his right ear in the ninth round and Martinez pounced on it to hand the game challenger his first loss in 19 fights laced with 12 knockouts.
“I definitely saw the injury in the ear,” Martinez, who rose to 16-0 with 9 knockouts, said in the post fight interview. “I hit it with a left and it popped, it exploded. I just kept going at the ear and that’s what ended this fight.”
Martinez was ahead on all three scorecards, 97-93 twice and 98-92, when the referee halted the fight 29 seconds into the 11th round.
Hardly affected by an eight-month layoff following his second unanimous decision loss to Martinez last October, Ancajas appeared sharper and stronger at 122 pounds.
Targeting the body as planned with longtime trainer Joven Jimenez, Ancajas caught Soto with a flurry of punches, prompting the referee to give the Colombian a standing 8-count in the fourth round.
Although Soto survived, he was easy picking for Ancajas in the fifth round, with the southpaw from Panabo City landing missile-like shots that sent the Colombian to his knees at the 29-second mark.
Ancajas raised his record to 34-3-2 with 23 knockouts, while Soto tumbled to 22-12 with 12 knockouts.
According to MP (Manny Pacquiao) Promotions president Sean Gibbons, the plan is for Ancajas to slide down to 118 pounds in his next fight and eventually challenge World Boxing Association champion Takuma Inoue of Japan.
– Rappler.com
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