Jerwin Ancajas vs Kazuto Ioka Planned for May

The postponed unification fight between Filipino IBF super flyweight champion “Pretty Boy” Jerwin Ancajas and Japanese WBO King Kazuto Ioka will likely take place in May.

Jerwin’s coach/manage Joven Jiménez has shared that his boxer will first defend against Argentina’s Fernando Martínez in February, and then will go on to unify belts against Kazuto Ioka.

“First we have to defend the title against Martínez and then we want the unification against Ioka,” coach Jiménez assured.

“That’s what we are focused on right now because it will be almost a year since the last time Jerwin fought.”

Ancajas will make his 10th title defense against Fernando Martínez who hails from the land of Messi and Maradona.

Jerwin and Kazuto Ioka were originally scheduled to rumble on New Years Eve in The Land of the Rising Sun.

But the exciting match up had to be postponed after Japan closed its borders due to the kakainis Omicron variant.

That unfortunate and unexpected situation prompted Jerwin’s team to prepare for the defense against the undefeated Fernando Martínez (13-0) for February.

The clash will unfold 10 months after Jerwin scored a unanimous decision win over Jonathan Rodriguez last April.

Jimenez added that his Davaeño world champion Jerwin Ancajas (33-1, 2 KO’s), could move up to bantamweights if he succeeds in defeating Kazuto Ioka, a war that is a really tough mission for the 29-year-old Pretty Boy.

“If we’re lucky, we’ll go up to 118 pounds,” Jiménez foresees.