SPORTS SHORTS 90: JERWIN ANCAJAS FACES JONATHAN JAVIER RODRIGUEZ, A HUNGRY GUY WITH NOTHING TO LOSE
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 28 Mar 2021
International Boxing Federation super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas return into action atop the ring on April 10 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Ancajas (32-1-2, 22 KOs) will be going against Mexico's Jonathan Javier Rodriguez (22-1-0, 16 KOs) in the ninth defense of the IBF title belt.
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The Panabo City native is thankful for this title defense because it has been more than a year since he last fought. His last fight was on December 7, 2019, when he scored a sixth-round technical knockout win over Chile's Miguel Gonzalez. He stated that the long wait was something he experienced before.
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The same thing happened to him when they were arranging his first title fight against McJoe Arroyo that also took years in the making. He just focused on his training. Now he said he is at 90% to 95% prepared for the fight.
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"I never lost focus because I just trust God's plan for me. Everything I'm doing here is a sacrifice for my children," said a determined Ancajas. This will be the first fight for the 29-year-old Ancajas under Al Haymon's Premier Boxing Champions after separating from Bob Arum’s Top Rank Promotions.
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Last year April 11, Ancajas had a fight scheduled for Top Rank Promotions show. He was in the process of getting his visa when the pandemic hit and it took them seven months to get the visa, revealed MP Promotions President Sean Gibbons.
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When they had their visa issues cleared, their fight schedule went off and they seemed lost interest. That's why PBC came up and they were very good to Filipino boxers so they were thankful for this opportunity, added Gibbons.
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There were criticisms before that Ancajas was not fighting the top guys in the division but they are now ready to face them. It was really not their fault. Srisakit Sor Rungvisai is out because he was supposed to have a rematch against WBA super, WBC, and Ring Magazine champion Juan Francisco Estrada.
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But looks like they will be heading to a trilogy fight between Estrada and Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzales. That is the type of fight they want for Jerwin later this year. With Estrada and Gonzales headed for a third encounter, they love to fight Sor Rungvisai.
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Ancajas can also fight Joshua Franco, the regular WBA champion or Kazuto Ioka, the WBO champion. They love to fight anyone with a belt. The good thing with PBC and Al Haymon is that they open to working with anybody. And the team always want big names that everybody recognized, stated Gibbons.
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Gibbons opined that the Rodriguez is an underdog against Ancajas. The challenger brings heart, determination, and the Mexican-style of boxing. A lot of people overlook fights like this but not Ancajas. Jonathan is a hungry guy with nothing to lose, continued Gibbons.
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"It's going to be a fun and exciting fight. It's always good when a Mexican fights a Filipino. They always take it to another level," Gibbons told ESPN. "But Jerwin's skills will pay the bills. He's been a champion for five years. I see him winning possibly later in the fight by breaking his opponent down."
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LaMarcus Aldridge, a seven-time All-Star forward center, will sign with the Brooklyn Nets for the remainder of the season, agent Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports told ESPN. Aldridge, 35, agreed to a contract buyout with the San Antonio Spurs and joins a Nets roster already loaded with superstars as it aims the franchise's first NBA championship.
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The Miami Heat had also been pursuing Aldridge, but he decided to choose the Nets' offer in one of the franchise's two remaining roster spots, sources said. Aldridge joins former All-Star Blake Griffin in the frontline who signed off the league's contract buyout market.
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Aldridge is expected to be at the center position most of the time. He could get some playing time for center DeAndre Jordan. Sophomore forward Nic Claxton has been performing well also at the frontline.
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The Spurs and Aldridge agreed on March 10 that they would part ways via a trade or a buyout that could end his six years with the franchise. He has averaged 19.4 points and 8.3 rebounds in his 15 NBA seasons, with nine years with the Portland Trailblazers.
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The 1920 Summer Games in Antwerp, Belgium had the distinction of having a week of winter sports, such as ice hockey and figure skating. British Albert Hill won two gold medals in the 800 m and 1500 m but was nearly not allowed to compete by United Kingdom officials for being "too old" at 31.
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Hill also won a silver medal in the 3000 m team race. He completed a "double" not replicated by a British athlete until Kelly Holmes at the 2004 Olympics.
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But no one commented about Oscar Swahn, a 72-year-old Swedish shooter who won a silver medal that year in Antwerp. Swahn holds records as the oldest Olympian at the time of competition, the oldest person to win gold, and the oldest person to win an Olympic medal.
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Swahn won the gold medal 1908 London Olympics single-shot running deer and another gold in the team single-shot running deer and a bronze medal in the double-shot running deer.
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He won another gold medal in 1912 Stockholm Olympics in the 100 m team running deer, single shots, and a bronze medal in the 100 m running deer, double shots. He won a silver medal in 1920 Antwerp Olympics in the100 m team running deer, double shots,
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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