International Boxing Federation super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas defends his world title against Mexican mandatory challenger Jonathan Javier Rodriguez on April 10 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.
It’s also the first time Ancajas will be fighting under the Premier Boxing Champions, the promotional outfit of Al Haymon.
Ancajas’ ninth title defense was announced by international matchmaker and Manny Pacquiao’s MP Promotions president Sean Gibbons on Sunday
“This fight will be under Tom Brown or TGB Promotions, same as Manny [Pacquiao] under the PBC, yes with Al Haymon,” said Gibbons, clarifying that Ancajas (32-1-2 win-loss-draw record with 22 knockouts) can still fight under Bob Arum’s Top Rank outfit.
“We can still fight with Top Rank if we want,” added Gibbons. “His contract expired a couple of years ago.”
Rodriguez (22-1 record with 16 knockouts) last fought on December 4, when he kayoed fellow Mexican Julius Yedras in their hometown.
The Ancajas-Rodriguez bout was postponed twice (November 2, 2010 and April 11, 2020) in the United States because of passport issues.
Meanwhile, undefeated Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo (21-0 record with 14 knockouts) takes on with Houston native Pablo Cruz (21-3 record with six knockouts) in a non-title featherweight bout for the Filipino’s second fight in the US.
In a controversial US debut fight last October 3 in Los Angeles, Magsayo won via a split decision over American Rigoberto Hermosillo.
The 29-year-old Ancajas is training at the Wildcard gym under trainer/manager Joven Jimenez, with the help of sparring partner Jonas Sultan.
Supported by the Big Boss Cement of Gilbert Cruz, the fighter from Panabo, Davao del Norte last fought under Top Rank on December 7 in Puebla, Mexico, where he pulled off a sixth-round technical knockout of Chilean challenger Miguel Gonzalez.