Ancajas to face ‘hostile, volatile cauldron’ in Belfast title defense, says Conlan

MANILA, Philippines – Jamie Conlan, the undefeated Irish brawler who will challenge Jerwin Ancajas for the IBF junior bantamweight title, has no delusions about the challenge he’s up against.

Conlan, who was ringside for Ancajas’ last title defense in Australia this past July, rates the Filipino southpaw as the second best titleholder in the stacked 115-pound division – right behind WBO titlist Naoya Inoue.

“I think he’s a great fighter. He’s a world champion for a reason in probably one of the hottest contested divisions at the moment,” says the 31-year-old Conlan (19-0, 11 knockouts) from his training camp in Glasgow, Scotland. “To be a world champion in the super flyweight division says something about you as a boxer. It’s the toughest I’ve seen in the world at the moment.”

Conlan will have home field advantage when they meet in the 12-round fight on November 18 at the SSE Arena in Conlan’s hometown of Belfast, Ireland, and the crowd is expected to be in a vociferous state with native sons Carl Frampton and Paddy Barnes also on the card.

Though the 25-year-old Ancajas (27-1-1, 18 KOs) of Panabo City, Philippines has made both of his title defenses abroad since becoming champion a year ago, he’s not yet had to face a partisan crowd until now. 

“He comes now to a hostile, volatile cauldron in Belfast. When he enters the arena with 10,000 Irishmen supporting their own, when things are tough, it’ll be a lot harder when 10,000 people are shouting. The Irish people love their boxing and they love their own people and they’ll be behind me,” says Conlan.

Conlan took note of Ancajas’ body punching, which produced the knockout in his last fight against Teiru Kinoshita, and the lone knockdown in his title-clinching victory against McJoe Arroyo. The contender known as “The Mexican” for his in-fighting prowess wouldn’t mind getting into a body shot contest against Ancajas. 

“I believe that I would enjoy the inside fighting a lot as I do like to go to the body, I punch very hard to the body, a lot harder to the body than the head,” says Conlan.  

“It will be a great fight on the inside, and something I’d revel in. If we mix it up inside and we get to exchange body punches. I’ve seen his body punches, they’re really good and wicked. It’s something I’ve noticed in his game that he is a really good body puncher but I think I’m a more natural body puncher and it’s something that we’ve been working on in the gym.” 

Ancajas has not lost since dropping a majority decision to compatriot Mark Anthony Geraldo in 2012, but Conlan thinks he sees some openings in his opponent’s game that he can exploit on fight night. 

“I’ve seen things in his fights that have not been exploited as of yet. I feel I have the characteristics in my style and demeanor that will exploit them on fight night. I’ve been dealing with southpaws my whole life. My brother [two-time Olympian Michael Conlan] was one of my main sparring partners growing up. He was as awkward as a southpaw as you could be.  

“[Ancajas’] style is very different from the European style but it’s not unfamiliar to myself. I think I’ll be very comfortable when we are at distance and inside, so it’s something I’m really looking forward to testing myself.”

Ancajas is one of 3 current world titleholders from the Philippines, alongside IBF flyweight champion Donnie Nietes and IBF junior flyweight champion Milan Melindo. – Rappler.com