TOKYO – Jerwin Ancajas guns for boxing history on Saturday night when he challenges reigning champion Takuma Inoue for the WBA bantamweight championship at the iconic Kokugikan Arena.
Fighting out of MP Promotions, the 32-year-old Ancajas is eyeing to win a second world title at 118 lbs. after a long reign as IBF super-flyweight champion from 2016 to 2022.
READ Inoue considers Ancajas the 'best foe I’ll ever face'
In doing so, he would only be the third Filipino to fight for and eventually, win a world crown at the famed arena first established in 1909.
The legendary Gabriel ‘Flash’ Elorde scored a 12th round TKO of Teruo Kosaka in 1964 to retain his WBC and WBA super-featherweight titles in the same venue while two-time world champion Gerry Penalosa won his first championship also at Kokugikan in 1997 when he eked out a split decision against Hiroshi Kawashima for the WBC super-flyweight crown.
Elorde, of course, later lost his world title belts also at Kokugikan in a majority decision against Yoshiaki Numata, who was knocked down by the Filipino in the third round.
“Sana palarin tayo,” said Ancajas when informed about the Filipino boxers’ piece of history in the venue.
Still, he’s not about to lower his guard against the defending champion and younger brother of undisputed world champion Naoya Inoue.
“Hindi natin (siya) i-underestimate,” said Ancajas, who sports a 34-3 record with 23 KOs.
Inoue, 28, is making the first defense of the title he won over Liborio Solis last year. His record stands at 18-1 with 4 KOs and has been knocked down once by Filipino Froilan Saludar in their non-title bout in 2016.
Ancajas is not predicting a knocking out the Japanese champion, but vows to go for it once the opportunity arises.
“Makatama lang tayo ng maganda and makakita ng opening, magandang bonus 'yun kung makakuha tayo ng knockout,” said the Filipino.
Former world title challenger Jonas Sulta will fight in the undercard against Japanese Riku Masuda in an eight rounder at bantamweight.
Mark Nelson will be the third man in the ring, while the three judges scoring the bout are Alex Levin (USA), Kim-Byung Moo (South Korea), and Luigi Boscarelli (Italy).
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
