EVEN IF HE IS FAVORED TO WIN, ANCAJAS NEVER UNDERESTIMATES GONZALEZ
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 24 Jan 2018
Jerwin Ancajas is going stateside for the first time in his next title defense. The 25-year-old Panabo City native will stake his IBF junior bantamweight title for the fourth time when he faces Israel Gonzalez on February 3, 2018, at the Bank of America Center in Corpus Christi, Texas. The fight will be the televised in the United States on ESPN as the co-featured bout of the WBO super middleweight champion Gilberto Ramirez against Habib Ahmed, and will be one of the three fights in 2018 prepared for Ancajas, said MP Promotions matchmaker Sean Gibbons.
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Ancajas (28-1-1, 19 knockouts) is fresh fron his third successful defense, a dominating 6th-round stoppage of Jamie Conlan in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Gonzalez (21-1, 8 KOs) of Los Cabos, Mexico, is also fighting for the first time in the United States and will be taking a bold challenge compared to his previous competititors. The IBF ranked No. 10 contender's only big name opponent is Ramon Garcia Hirales, the former WBO junior flyweight titleholder, whom he won by decision in 2016.
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"What coach [Joven Jimenez] is telling me, don?t let your guard down for anyone, especially those who are being underestimated by others," said Ancajas. He added that they are not underestimating the opponent, instead they are persevering even more so they can develop and show their skills. "We all know Mexicans fight really hard, so it?ll be a good fight."
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Gibbons said he went to Mexico twice to see Gonzalez box and believes the matchup will be tougher due to the lack of video footage on Gonzalez's fight. "Israel Gonzalez, even though he doesn't have a lot of names on his record, like a lot of Hispanic fighters you've got to be careful because they're very seasoned in Mexico. We believe it's a good test to see where Jerwin is in his first fight in the US on ESPN," said Gibbons.
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Gibbons cited Manny Pacquiao's fight with his Mexican foes and how the exciting those bouts turned out to be. He also praised Ancajas' coolness and calmness. "Just watch Manny Pacquiao against any Mexican and you'll find out that Mexicans and Filipino match up very well together. One guy is very aggressive, in your face type of style, Jerwin?s very calm, very cool, likes guys to come to him."
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The 35-year-old Donnie Nietes, the longest-reigning Filipino world champion, defends his International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight title against former world champion Arhentina's Juan Carlos Reveco. "Of course, I?m very happy that they have given attention to the fighters in the lower weight divisions. It?s an added inspiration for us now that they have taken notice,? Nietes told SunStar Cebu. The Nietes-Reveco showdown has been added to HBO's ?Superfly 2? card on February 24 at the Forum in Inglewood, California together with some popular boxers in the lower weights.
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The "Superfly 2" main event is headed by Chocolatito Gonzalez?s destroyer Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, who will be defend his World Boxing Council (WBC) super flyweight title against former world champ Juan Francisco Estrada. Also in the card is the super flyweight bout between Carlos Cuadras and McWilliams Arroyo, while Filipino-Hawaiian Brian Viloria faces undefeated Artem Dalakian for the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) flyweight belt. ?I?m very happy that I?m fighting again in the US. And I?ll be fighting alongside some of the best super flyweights,? said Nietes.
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ALA Boxing Gym?s doors are open to former four-weight world champion Nonito Donaire Jr. if he decides to hold his training camp in Cebu. ?I talked to his wife Rachel. Told them Nonito is always welcome whenever he wants to train in Cebu. However, they have not finalized the plans yet,? said ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer as quoted by SunStar Cebu. Donaire told Quinito Henson of Philippine Star that one of his options for a training camp is in Cebu, while the others are in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Tokyo.
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Donaire is facing former two-division world champion Carl Frampton in a non-title featherweight match on April 21 at The SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland. This isn?t the first time that Donaire has engaged his fight preparations at the ALA Gym. He trained at the plush Cebu boxing gym for his fights with William Prado and Anthony Settoul both in 2015.
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On March 28, 2015, Donaire returned from featherweight to super bantamweight division and defeated William Prado in two rounds to win the vacant NABF super bantamweight title at the Araneta Coliseum. Donaire stopped Prado in the second round. On July 18, 2015, Donaire also defeated Anthony Settoul in two rounds also by stoppage at The Venetian Macao in Macau, China.
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Longest reigning flyweight champions:
1. Omar Andres Narvaez - 7 years, 10 months
2. Jimmy Wilde - 7 years, 4 months, 4 days
3.Pongsaklek Wonjongkam - 6 years, 4 months, 16 days
4. Irene Pacheco - 5 years, 8 months, 6 days
5. Pascual Perez - 5 years, 4 months, 20 days
6. Yuri Arbachakov - 5 years, 4 months, 19 days
7. Miguel Canto - 4 years, 2 months, 10 days
8. Moruti Mthalane - 4 years, 1 month, 23 days
9. Jackie Paterson - 4 years, 1 month, 12 days
10. Sot Chitalada - 3 years, 9 months, 16 days
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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