SPORTS SHORTS 223: JERWIN ANCAJAS WANTS TO CHALLENGE JOHN RIEL CASIMERO AND NONITO DONAIRE
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 21 Sep 2021
IBF world super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas is ready to move up to the higher 118-pound division to challenge WBC world bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr. and WBO world bantamweight champion John Riel Casimero as reported by GMA News.
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Ancajas (33-1-2, 22KOs) has held the super flyweight world title since he won against Puerto Rican McJoe Arroyo by unanimous decision on September 3, 2016 in Taguig City, and has been aiming to go up a higher division for a long time.
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He defended his title against fellow Filipino Jonas Sultan with a convincing decision victory tallying scores of 117-111, 119-109, and 119-109 on May 26, 2018 at the Save Mart Center, Fresno, California.
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“A world title fight with a fellow Filipino fight is not new to me because I already fought Sultan. If given the opportunity, I will be proud to fight big names like them especially Donaire,” Ancajas said.
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“I am just waiting for coach when it is time to move up a weight class. If I get a unification fight next, I want to go up in weight. I am more than ready.”
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Casimero and Donaire have been very active on social media lately provoking each other to ring battle. Both were scheduled to fight atop the ring last August but Donaire withdrew from the bout after he felt slurred by Casimero’s mischiefs.
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Ancajas’ trainer and manager Joven Jimenez said they are ready to face either Donaire or Casimero even in short notice if given the chance to prove his worth.
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“What is important for a boxer is the opportunity to fight for a world championship. That is rare in the life of a boxer so if there is a chance to fight them then that is a huge opportunity,” said Jimenez.
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Jimenez doesn't want his boxer to wait for another longer period. He likes Ancajas to fight the soonest possible time. Jerwin has been champion at superflyweight for several years and will grab the opportunity if given a chance to fight in the bantamweight division.
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“If we keep waiting, what is going to happen with my boxer? If the opportunity is there we will fight even tomorrow. Jerwin has been a champion at 115 pounds for a long time, I should give him a chance to go up to 118 pounds.”
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WBO superflyweight champion Kazuto Ioka wants to unify his belt with that of Ancajas. The Japanese world titlist recently defeated Mexico’s Francisco Rodriguez Jr. to successfully defend his title at Ota City General Gymnasium in Tokyo.
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“I still have goals to gain more recognition in the world, there is much more to achieve. My goal is to unify the belts,” said Ioka in Ring Magazine. "I can only control my own destiny. I hope for a unification fight with the IBF champion Ancajas.”
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Ioka (27-2, 15 KOs) is No.10 in The Ring Magazine’s pound-for-pound list and No.3 in the super flyweight division while Ancajas is ranked No.4 in the same weight category.
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It was the 32-year-old Ioka's 18th world championship title fight win and it was a record by a Japanese fighter. But he was surprised of Rodriguez's viciousness.
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Ancajas last fought on April 10 winning by unanimous decision against Mexican Jonathan Javier Rodriguez at the Mohegan Sun Arena, Montville, Connecticut. The scores were 115-112, 116-111 and 117-110.
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MP Promotions president Sean Gibbons was planning to arrange a fight with Srisaket Sor Rungvisa. But he also admitted that it was not that easy to get the Thai multiple superflyweight world champion. Likewise for Chocolatito Gonzalez and Juan Francisco Estrada.
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That left Ancajas with the option of fighting Japanese four-division champion Ioka, who has beaten Filipino Aston Palicte by 10th round TKO, but lost to Donnie Nietes before that by split decision.
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But it seems Ancajas couldn't wait for the unification with Ioka as he challenged both compatriot Casimero and Donaire to an All-Filipino fight. Let's see the next episode.
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Carmelo Anthony is one of the longest playing NBA players in the NBA today. He joined the league in 2003, alongside fellow draft class stars LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh.
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Later 18 seasons have passed, LeBron and Melo are the only veterans remaining from that star-studded draft batch. Anthony is the only NBA player to score more than 27,000 career points but did not win an NBA championship or an MVP award.
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Anthony has played for six NBA teams namely Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers, and now the Los Angeles Lakers.
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He was a ten-time NBA All-Star (2007, 2008, 2010–2017), two-time All-NBA Second Team (2010, 2013) and four-time All-NBA Third Team (2006, 2007, 2009, 2012). He was an NBA scoring champion (2013).
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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