ANCAJAS TO DEFEND TITLE VS. MEXICAN GONZALES FEB. 3

President Rodrigo Duterte examines the belt of International Boxing Federation (IBF) Junior Bantamweight Champion Jerwin Ancajas who paid a courtesy call on the President at the Malacañan Palace on December 5, 2017. Also in photo are Games and Amusements Board (GAB) Commissioner Mar Masanguid, WBO International minimumweight champion Mark Anthony Barriga and GAB Chairman Baham Mitra (partly covered).
(Photo courtesy of Presidential Communications).

REIGNING International Boxing Federation (IBF) world junior bantamweight champion Jerwin “Pretty Boy” Ancajas will again defend his title on February 3 against Mexican challenger Israel “Jiga” Gonzales (21W-1L-0D, 8 KOs) at the Bank of America Center in Corpus Christi, USA.
It will be promoted by Bob Arum of Top Rank Promotions. Ancajas, who is managed and trained by Joven Jimenez is also being promoted by Sen. Manny Pacquiao’s MP Promotions.
Ancajas (28W-1L-1D, 19 KOs) has already started his training again at his boxing camp in Cavite.
“Two weeks lang kami nag pahinga at ngayon balik na agad sa training,” said Jimenez.
Ancajas previously defended his title by knocking out previously unbeaten Irish Jamie Conlan in the 6th round last Nov. 18 at The SSE Arena in Belfast.
Ancajas, a native of Panabo City has defended his crown thrice this year. He first retained it by stopping Jose Alfredo Rodriguez last January 29 in Cotai Arena, Venetian Resort in Macao.
Ancajas then fought in the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Jeff Horn championship at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia to stop Japanese challenger Teiru Kinoshita via a 7th round TKO on July 2.
The 25-year old Ancajas paid a courtesy call to President Rodrigo Duterte at the Malacanang Palace last Dec. 5 together with Jimenez and his stablemate WBO International minimumweight champion Mark Anthony Barriga. They were accompanied by Games and Amusements Board (GAB) Chairman Abraham Kahlil “Baham” Mitra, Commissioners Eduard Trinidad and Mar Masanguid.
Gonzales, on the other hand, has won nine straight fights with five knockouts since he suffered his only setback to Argi Cortes in 2016.
Gonzales won his last fight via a 5th round technical knockout against Reymundo Hernandez last Nov. 3 at the Arena Jose Sulaiman in Monterrey.
(LITO DELOS REYES)