After waiting for more than a year, reigning International Boxing Federation super flyweight champion Jerwin “The Pretty Boy” Ancajas said he will leave it all on the ring when he takes on Mexican challenger Jonathan Javier Rodriguez on Sunday at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut.
The 12-round fight of the two has been postponed twice, first on November 2, 2019 in Los Angeles because of visa issues, and the second one on April 11 in Las Vegas due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I understand how frustrating the situation is right now. But it’s also frustrating for everybody, so I have to be ready,” said the 29-year-old Ancajas on Friday during an online news conference organized by the promoting Premier Boxing Champions on Showtime.
“We worked so hard and prepared so well since we’ve been waiting for this fight to happen for more than a year,” added the Panabo, Davao del Norte native, who has a record of 32-1-2 win-loss-draw record with 22 knockouts.
The Filipino champ expects Rodriguez (22-1 record with 16 knockouts) to fight aggressively.
“He [Rodriguez] is really determined to dethrone me, but I am really ready for my ninth title defense,” Ancajas vowed.
Supported by the Big Boss Cement owner Gilbert Cruz, Ancajas wants to fight next either former world champion Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez of Nicaragua or ex-world champion Srisaket Sor Rungvisai of Thailand.
He also expressed interest in a world title unification bout against Mexican World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council super flyweight world titleholder Juan Francisco Estrada or Japanese World Boxing Organization champion Kazuto Ioka.
But he has to hurdle Rodriguez first.
“I have to focus very well first against Rodriguez. I can’t set him aside,” said Ancajas.
Meanwhile, unbeaten Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo (21-0 record with 14 knockouts) fights American Pablo Cruz (21-3 record with six knockouts) in a 10-round non-title featherweight undercard bout.
The main event, held under Tom Brown’s TGB Promotions, is between Russian welterweight Sergey Lipinets and American Jaron Ennis, with the other welterweight war between Eimantas Stanionis of Lithuania and Thomas Dulorme of Puerto Rico a 12-round bout.
