ANCAJAS NEARS PEAK FORM FOR TITLE DEFENSE
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 21 Jun 2017
Jerwin Ancajas.
IBF world junior bantamweight champion Jerwin Ancajas is nearing his peak form for his mandatory title defense against Japanese challenger Teiru Kinoshita. This will also be another golden opportunity for the Filipino champ who will be on the undercard of a Manny Pacquiao fight for the second time in his career.
Ancajas (26W-1L-1D,17KO?s) will be defending against Kinoshita (25W-1L-1D,8KO?s) on July 2 in Brisbane, Australia on the undercard of Pacquiao?s defense of the WBO world welterweight title against Australian Jeff Horn at the Suncorp Stadium.
?Jerwin is now at 95 percent. We will just maintain his condition,? Trainer-manager Joven Jimenez told this writer. ?He is in excellent shape.?
?He has sparred with Jerald Daniega and Joepher Montano.? Jimenez said. ?We studied the style of the Japanese, we are prepared for him.?
Daniega is an undefeated featherweight from Zamboanga del Norte with an 11-0,8KO?s record. Montano, from Bago City, has a record of 7-1,6KO?s.
Jimenez will be assisted in the corner by Rey Dulay and Todd Makelim, a former Australian bantamweight champion who lost to Pacquiao way back in 1999 in Kidapawan City.
Makelim was at ringside when Ancajas won the IBF world title against Puerto Rican McJoe Arroyo by unanimous decision in Taguig City last September 3, 2016.
When Ancajas was still a contender, he fought on the undercard of Pacquiao?s fight against Chris Algieri of the U.S. in Macao. Ancajas beat Fadhili Majiha of Tanzania by third round knockout.
The 25 year old Ancajas defended his crown for the first time last January, also in Macao, by stopping Mexican Jose Alfredo Rodriguez in seven rounds.
The May 2017 rankings of the International Boxing Federation (IBF) has Kinoshita at number three with the top two contender spots vacant. Former two-division champion John Riel Casimero is at number four so the possibility of an all-Filipino showdown looms should Ancajas defend his title.
The 31 year old Kinoshita scored back to back KO wins last year against Thai opponents Warakon Khamfu and Thirayut Sithsaithong, both fights held in Hyogo, Japan where the Japanese challenger is based.
Kinoshita?s lone loss was in 2014 when he fought for the vacant IBF junior bantamweight world title against South African Zolani Tete by unanimous decision in Hyogo. This is the same Tete who beat Arthur Villanueva by unanimous decision last April for the vacant WBO world bantamweight title.
Kinoshita is also a former Japanese super flyweight champ and has defended his national title five times from 2012 to 2013.
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