IT was a relatively short workday for Filipino champion Jerwin “Pretty Boy” Ancajas at the “Battle of Brisbane” last Sunday after stopping challenger Teiru Kinoshita of Japan by technical knockout in the seventh round of their scheduled 12-rounder. But the still IBF junior bantamweight titleholder said that had it went the full distance he was nonetheless ready.
Made his second title defense of the International Boxing Federation title he won in September last year, Mr. Ancajas (27-1-1) said he really trained hard for what he considered was his biggest fight to date as far as profile goes and did not want to disappoint himself and his supporters.
And it surely paid off as he cut short his title fight with a devastating performance that had his opponent not being able to continue just midway into the contest.
The end came for Mr. Kinoshita in the seventh round when he got hit with a solid hook to the body from Mr. Ancajas that immediately dropped him.
The Japanese was able to beat the count but the referee ruled him unfit to continue and ordered a stop to the fight at the 1:53 mark and handing out the win to Mr. Ancajas.
“I was anticipating the fight to reach 12 rounds as we believed Kinoshita was a very capable fighter. In training that was what we prepared for, going the full distance,” said Mr. Ancajas in the vernacular in a short online correspondence with BusinessWorld a day after his victory on Monday.
“When I was able to drop and stop him in the seventh round I was very happy because in a way it came to us as a surprise,” he added.
Mr. Ancajas’s victory proved to be the saving grace for the Filipinos at the Battle of Brisbane after boxing legend Manny Pacquiao lost in a highly controversial manner his World Boxing Organization welterweight title to Australian Jeff Horn by unanimous decision in the main event and junior welterweight Jonel Dapidran also losing by UD to hometown bet Brent James.
Moving forward, Davao del Norte native Ancajas, 25, said he is eyeing continued ascent in the sport and keep improving.
There are no details yet on his next fight but he vowed to be ready and take on all comers.
“There is no plan yet for my next fight but we are expecting that I will be back in the ring before the end of the year for a voluntary title defense,” Mr. Ancajas said.
Mr. Ancajas in fighting under Mr. Pacquiao’s MP Promotions and has extended his professional winning record streak to 14 after his latest victory. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo
