Ancajas to challenge Puerto Rican for IBF super fly crown

Jerwin “Pretty Boy” Ancajas (PNA photo)

DAVAO CITY – Current International Boxing Federation (IBF) super flyweight No. 3 contender Jerwin “Pretty Boy” Ancajas of the Philippines will challenge new champion McJoe Arroyo of Puerto Rico on or before November 18.

“Ancajas is a mandatory challenger of Arroyo,” said Raides ‘Nonoy’ Neri of MP Boxing Stablein vernacular.

The fight is expected to be held in Puerto Rico with Arroyo making his first title-defense. Originally, Ancajas, ranked no. 3, was supposed to first fight against another contender in an eliminator bout to determine the challenger for Arroyo this year.

But all the other rated contenders starting with Japan’s Teiru Kinoshita (No. 4) up to England’s Paul Butler (no. 14) had begged off against Ancajas, who has a record of 23 wins, 15 knockouts and only one loss and no draw.

The eliminator bout would have been held in Manila in November. The no. 1 and 2 contenders were formerly Arroyo and another Filipino boxer Arthur Villanueva, respectively. They are now vacant.

Arroyo and Villanueva fought for the title last July 18. Arroyo (17 wins, 8 knockouts) remained undefeated by scoring a technical decision in the 10th round at the Don Haskins Convention Center in El Paso, Texas, USA.

Ancajas, a native of Panabo City, last outing was a 9th round knockout against Juan Purisima (11-7-1) last May 30 at the Lagao gym in General Santos City. Ancajas, a southpaw, landed a solid body punch for the knockout in 1:57 of the 9th round.

His only setback was a majority decision loss to Mark Anthony Geraldo for the WBO Asia Pacific Youth super flyweight title held at the Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City last March 17, 2012.

Judges Teddy Alivio (97-94) and Tony Pesons (98-92) both scored it in favor of Geraldo while judge Salven Lagumbay saw it a tie at 95-all.

Five months later after the defeat, Ancajas bounced back by retiring John Paul Bautista in the 3rd round on Aug. 16 at the Mandaluyong gym. Ancajas continued his winning ways by adding nine more victories all by knockouts. He stopped Miguel Tamayo by a technical knockout in the 10th round on Sept. 21 at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay then went to Haikou, China to stop Runlong Xu by a 4th round TKO on Dec. 21.

The following year, Ancajas captured the vacant Luzon Professional Boxing Association (Luzproba) bantamweight title by stopping Armando Casa in 59 seconds of the 4th round on Aug. 30 in Lucena City.

Ancajas then shifted his training at the MP Davao Stable and went on to score a knockout against Ryan Bongcawil in 1:58 of the 2nd round on Dec. 14 at the Lagao gym.

Ancajas’ next ring assignment saw him scoring another 2nd round stoppage against Inthanon Sithchamuang of Thailand on Feb. 22, 2014 at the Cotai Arena, Venetian Resort in Macao. Ancajas then took the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) Pan Pacific super flyweight crown via a first round knockout (2:16) against Petchwanchai Sor Visetkit of Thailand on May 3 at the University of SouthEastern Philippines Gym in Davao.

Ancajas beat his third Thai opponent Rachmat Santoso by another first round TKO (2:55) on Aug. 23 at the Almendras gym. Ancajas was again sent back to Macao to knockout Fadhili Majiha in the 3rd round (1:48) on Nov. 23.

“Aside sa may lakas, matalino at may diskarte din si Jerwin (Aside from strength, Jerwin is also intelligent),” said Neri, also an assistant trainer and dietician of 8-time division world champion Manny Pacquiao.

Ancajas is also a former WBO Asia Pacific Youth super flyweight champion after he beat Rex Tito by a unanimous decision at the SM Lipa City on April 16, 2011.

Ancajas won his first fight outside the country by a unanimous decision against Jing Xiang at the People’s Stadium, Tianjin, China on Aug. 27, 2011. Ancajas, 23, enjoys a two-inch advantage against the 5’4 tall Arroyo, 29.