Ancajas Better Off Moving Up?
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 15 Feb 2022
Perhaps, Jerwin Ancajas would be better off, career wise if he moves up to and campaigns in the bantamweights and join the company of fellow Pinoys Nonito Donaire and Johnriel Casimero and Japanese two belts holder Naoya Inoue in the battle of supremacy in that weight class.
Ancajas has been super flyweight champion of the IBF since more than six years ago, in fact he is the most senior of the titlists in the division and among the longest reigning world boxing champions and yet, he could not get any of the other major beltholders to a unification fight.
He could have last December against WBO titleholder Kazuto Ioka but that projected unification got cancelled due to renewed travel restrictions in Japan. That fight may be rescheduled this new year but nothing is certain yet.
Ioka though is not Jerwin's original target.
For years, he has patiently waited for the chance to cross mitts against any of the division's biggest names as Juan Francisco Estrada, Roman 'Chocolatito' Gonzalez and Srisaket Sor Rungvusai.
But time and again, he was left outside looking in as the powers that be determined that those three have first to settle their so called unfinished businesses as they held a win over the other at some points in time. Estrada is 1-1 versus Gonzalez and also 1-1 against Rungvusai while Gonzalez is 0-2 versus Rungvusai but originally won the crown by beating Cuadras who once defeated Rungvusai.
How many fights do they have to fight among themselves to settle their unfinished business?
It could be recalled that Chocolatito Gonzalez became pound for pound best when he won his third division world crown at 115 lbs by besting Mexico's Carlos Cuadras in 2017. But Gonzalez lost that WBC super flyweight title on points to Thailand's Sor Rungvusai who defeated him again in their rematch by knockout. Rungvusai went on to defend that title by outpointing Estrada but Estrada turned the tables by split decision win in their title rematch.
Gonzalez bounced back to contention by winning the WBA title over Khalid Yafai and proceeded to challenge Estrada in a unification match which Estrada controversially won by decision. Rungvusai should have been next in line for Estrada but the WBC ruled an immediate title rematch versus Gonzalez.
Estrada however contracted Covid 19 virus and is unable to fight. The WBC decided to elevate Estrada to super champion and have the regular belt fought over by Gonzalez and an opponent to be determined.
That should have presented opportunity for Ancajas or Ioka to break into the seeming exclusive circle and compete for the vacant title while staking their title in a virtual unification.
But the powers that be decided otherwise and resorted to importing from the lower weight in the person of WBC flyweight champion Julio Cesar Martinez to rival Gonzalez for the vacant WBC super flyweight title.
What is funny is that Martinez stated that win or lose, he will move back down to flyweight to challenge WBO titlist Sunny Edwards in a unification. What the...???
The WBA did even worst when it had to tap light flyweight Jesse Bam Rodriguez to fight Mexican ex WBC champion Carlos Cuadras for its vacant regular super flyweight title when Rungvusai, his supposed original original opponent also contracted the viral infection. The title had been vacant since Gonzalez wrested the super title from Yafai.
Rodriguez overcame size and power disadvantages and upset Cuadras recently. It is not clear if Rodriguez will stay in the new weight class or go back down to light flyweight.
Still odder, Gonzalez stated that if he wins the vacant WBC regular super flyweight title, he is amenable to defend it against Rodriguez's brother WBA interim belt holder, Joshua Franco. What???
Given these strange occurrences, Ancajas may be better off moving up to 118 lbs where the situations are clearer and saner than his current division where fans and observers can't make heads or tails of things.
Even if the unification with Ioka pushes through this year, Jerwin may be better off starting to campaign in the bantamweights as it seems that he won't be getting better break with WBA and WBC for the opportunity to fight their super fly fair haired champions any time soon.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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