GAB COM. MASANGUID TO WATCH ANCAJAS TITLE FIGHT IN US

by LITO DELOS REYES

FULL SUPPORT. GAB Commissioner Mar Masanguid [kneeling] with his visitors last Christmas at his residence including [from left] former 2nd District Congressman Vincent Garcia and GAB Chairman Baham Mitra.

(From right) Presidential Secretary Bong Go, GAB Chairman Baham Mitra, Commissioner Mar Masanguid, ex-Olympian Mark Anthony Barriga, President Rodrigo Duterte, IBF world super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas and trainer-manager Joven Ancajas at the Malacanyang Palace.

DAVAO CITY – Games and Amusements Board (GAB) Commissioner Mar Masanguid will be watching the next title defense of reigning International Boxing Federation (IBF) world junior bantamweight champion Jerwin “Pretty Boy” Ancajas slated next month in the United States.
“I will be going there to give my moral support for Ancajas,” said Masanguid, who is a former barangay captain from Agdao, Davao City.
Ancajas (28W-1L-1D, 19 KOs), a native of Panabo City, Davao del Norte is fighting Mexican challenger Israel “Jiga” Gonzales (21W-1L-0D, 8 KOs) on Feb. 3 at the Bank of America Center in Corpus Christi, USA.
“We need to give our full support to Ancajas, who is now one of the only two Filipino world boxing champions,” Masanguid.
The other only Filipino world champion is Donnie Nietes of Cebu, whose stablemate Milan Melindo of ALA Stable was already dethroned by Japanese Ryoichi Taguchi by a unanimous decision last December 31 in Japan.
Melindo lost his IBF world light flyweight title in his unification bout to Taguchi, the reigning WBA super world light flyweight king at the Ota-City General Gymnasium.
Together with GAB Chairman Baham Mitra and Commissioner Eduard Trinidad, Masanguid accompanied Ancajas when he paid a courtesy call to President Rodrigo Duterte at the Malacanang.
Ancajas, who is managed and trained by Joven Jimenez will be making his debut in the US under Bob Arum’s Top Rank Promotions.
He 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 has defended his crown thrice last 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.