UNHERALDED Jerwin Ancajas dominated IBF super flyweight champion McJoe Arroyo and dropped him in the eighth round to score a handsome win and give the Philippines its fourth world title and the first for eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao as a promoter at the Navy Gymnasium in Fort Bonifacio,Taguig City, Saturday night.
Ancajas used a stinging right straight and long-range, 1-2 combinations to set the tempo in the first six rounds, completely out-boxing Arroyo, who looked comparatively slow.
In the eighth round, Ancajas exploded with a cracking combination that sent Arroyo to the ropes as referee Gene del Bianco gave him an eight-count.
From that point on, Arroyo never looked likely to be able to turn things around and had to struggle to ward off the aggressive Ancajas in a battle of southpaws that had the crowd on its feet.
Knowing he was behind on points, Arroyo tried to mount a challenge in the championship rounds, but Ancajas nailed him with terrific counter-punches and grabbed the champion whenever he had to.
There was a point after the knockdown that promoter Peter Rivera appeared to want to stop the fight as Arroyo was taking a beating, but his trainers over-ruled him and the fight continued, only for the Puerto Rican to absorb more punishment from a surprisingly well-conditioned Ancajas, contrary to claims by his former trainer Nonoy Neri that he was out of shape, lazy and would be beaten.
His new trainer Joven Jimenez told Manila Standard after the fight that he doesn’t like to see Filipinos at odds and hoped that they could all get together for the sake of Philippine boxing.
“My long training helped me remain in top condition,” said Ancajas “Arroyo hit hard. I planned to move around in the early rounds and catch him with combinations in the later rounds. I found it hard, but the fans helped me prevail. I am very happy to win the world title because me and trainer Joven Jimenez had sacrificed a lot.”
All three judges scored the fight for Ancajas with Japan’s Takeo Harada having Ancajas the winner by a 117-110 margin. The Philippines’ Gil Co had it 118-109 and Puerto Rican judge Carlos Colo scored it a ridiculously close 115-112.
Ancajas, accompanied by Sean Gibbons, who helped international matchmaker and promoter Sampson Lewkowicz win the purse bid and MP Promotions Joe Ramos, drove to Pacquiao’s Forbes Park Home to present the belt to him and thank him for his unwavering support.
“I am very happy and wanted our fighters to train hard and keep on winning. I am very happy over the result of the fight,” Pacquiao told the Manila Standard.
Pacquiao is hoping to put more Filipino fighters on the undercard of his WBO welterweight title fight against Jessie Vargas at the Thomas & Mack Center Las Vegas on Nov. 5.
“I am feeling good about this fight (against Vargas),” said Pacquiao after jogging and having a light workout in the afternoon. “It is a privilege to be able to bring honor to our country.”