Belfast awaits Ancajas
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 08 Nov 2017
Ancajas after his win in Brisbane, Australia.
IBF superflyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas is ready to tackle whatever unpredictable challenger Jamie Conlan brings into the ring in terms of style and strategy when they square off in a 12-round title bout at the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Nov. 18.
Ancajas, 25, will make the third defense of his 115-pound title against the unbeaten Conlan on hostile territory. It?s a voluntary defense and Ancajas will be paid $80,000 for taking the chance of facing a challenger in his hometown. Conlan, 31, has a 19-0 record, with 11 KOs, but struggled in scoring wins on points over Hungary?s David Koos and Nicaragua?s Yader Cardoza in his last two outings, both in Belfast.
Ancajas? manager and trainer Joven Jimenez said Conlan is no easy opponent. He?s studied tapes of Conlan?s fights and his conclusion is while the Irish fighter is capable of pulling off an upset, Ancajas will retain the title.
?Conlan?s an all-around fighter, he has power, he?s not afraid to engage,? said Jimenez in Pilipino. ?He?s a slugger but he can also box from the outside. Jerwin will adjust. He?s more experienced than Conlan. He won?t be in a hurry. He?ll take his time, he?ll be patient. He?ll figure out what to do once the bell rings. He?s ready to do whatever it takes to win.?
So far, Ancajas has sparred 80 rounds in training for Conlan. Jimenez assembled a sparring platoon of Pete Penitente, Daniel Lim, Alan Alberca, John Mari Alimane and Jomar Caindog to sharpen Ancajas. In Belfast, working Ancajas? corner will be Jimenez, Australian cutman Todd Makelim and stablemate Mark Anthony Barriga. Ancajas and his traveling party leave Manila for Belfast on Friday.
Jimenez said Ancajas recently moved into a new one-bedroom home in Magallanes, Cavite, about an hour?s drive away from Kawit. Jimenez and Ancajas teamed up to buy a 1,500-square meter property for P2 Million in Magallanes. Ancajas paid P300,000 to build his house where he stays with wife Ruth and their two children Kyrie, 5, and Kyle, 2. Behind the house, Jimenez and Ancajas combined resources to construct a two-storey gym with a 10-room dorm for boxers. The gym is where Ancajas now trains while the dorm on the second floor is under construction. Jimenez and Ancajas are also partners in managing Barriga whose contract they bought for P300,000 from Jason Soong.
Ancajas hasn?t lost in his last 14 fights since 2012 when he dropped a majority decision to Mark Anthony Geraldo in Cebu. His record is 27-1-1, with 18 KOs. He wrested the IBF crown from Puerto Rico?s McJoe Arroyo on points in Taguig in September last year. Ancajas has since repulsed challengers Mexico?s Jose Alfredo Rodriguez and Japan?s Teiru Kinoshita.
Conlan has won the WBO European, WBO International, British Commonwealth and WBC Silver International superflyweight championships. He started fighting competitively at the age of 13 under his father John and former Olympian Sean McCafferty. Conlan racked up an amateur record of 107-11 then turned pro in 2009, four months after Ancajas? debut. His younger brother Michael, 25, bagged a bronze medal as a flyweight at the 2012 London Olympics and has a pro record of 4-0, with 4 KOs.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joaquin Henson.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Arca clinches 3rd and final IM norm; Guns for GM norm in last round
By Marlon Bernardino, Sun, 20 Apr 2025IN HER GOLDEN GIRL ERA: GABRIELA “SWEET POISON” FUNDORA SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDS UNDISPUTED TITLE AGAINST MARILYN BADILLO
Sun, 20 Apr 2025Fundora Retains Undisputed Flyweight Titles; Perez Shocks Conwell in Oceanside
Sun, 20 Apr 2025Dalton Smith Drops Mathieu German Three Times, Retains WBC Silver Title
Sun, 20 Apr 2025Filipino GM Antonio beats Serbia's IM for share of lead in Caberra Chess Tournament
By Marlon Bernardino, Sun, 20 Apr 2025Villanueva to fight Antaran on April 27 in Gensan
By Lito delos Reyes, Sun, 20 Apr 2025MASOUD AND MCGRAIL CLASH IN ALL-BRITISH SHOWDOWN
Sun, 20 Apr 2025Semifinals Conclude at 2025 USA Boxing International Open
Sun, 20 Apr 2025FM Arca is inching closer to his 3rd and final IM norm
By Marlon Bernardino, Sun, 20 Apr 2025Weigh-In Results: Fundora and Conwell Ready for Golden Boy Fight Night in Oceanside
Sat, 19 Apr 2025Undefeated, rising Canadian prospect Eric Basran wins in Opening round to advance to quarterfinals of inaugural Riyadh Season/WBC Boxing Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia
Sat, 19 Apr 2025WEIGHTS FROM LONG BEACH
Sat, 19 Apr 2025Weights From Washington, PA
Sat, 19 Apr 2025Jerald Into Advances in WBC Boxing Grand Prix with Dominant Win Over Ahmad Jones
Sat, 19 Apr 2025Press Conference Notes: Keyshawn Davis Set for Homecoming Title Defense against Edwin De Los Santos at Norfolk's Scope Arena
Sat, 19 Apr 2025