Ancajas keeps jr belt

Teiru Kinoshita of Japan, in silver shorts, is on the floor after being knocked down by Jerwin Ancajas, in red shorts, of the Philippines during their IBF World Junior Bantamweight title fight in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, July 2, 2017. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)

BRISBANE—Jerwin Ancajas provided the world with a glimpse of what he’s capable of doing Sunday.

The rising Filipino star halted Japanese Teiru Kinoshita in the seventh round to retain his International Boxing Federation junior bantamweight crown in the main undercard of “Battle of Brisbane” at Suncorp Stadium here.

Shifty and wily, Ancajas first landed a jab to the face before unleashing the solid right hook to the rib cage that sent the Japanese crumbling to the canvas on all fours.

Kinoshita was able to stand, but the referee found him unfit to continue, giving the 25-year-old Ancajas his 18th knockout in 26 victories against one loss and one draw.

The Japanese, who felt Ancajas’ body bombs as early as the second round, fell to 25-2-1 with 8 knockouts.

A left hook left a cut on Kinoshita’s right eyelid in the second round, but it was the accumulation of bloody blows that set him up for the killer punch.

It was Ancajas’ second successful defense of the crown he wrested from the favored McJoe Arroyo, a Puerto Rican, in Taguig last September.

The impressive performance, which saw Ancajas pepper Kinoshita with left-right combinations in the second round, may yet give the pride of Panabo, Davao del Norte, the passport for more lucrative fights under the banner of MP Promotions.

Smiling and waving to the big crowd as he entered the stadium, Ancajas brought his energy to the ring, controlling the tempo of the fight by weaving in and out and unleashing combinations.

A little bit slower, Kinoshita found no answer as Ancajas was way ahead when the stoppage came.

Earlier, Jonel Dapidran dropped his six-round light welterweight bout against Australian Brent Dames by unanimous decision.

Competing abroad for the first time, Dapidran, a cousin of Pacquiao, absorbed his second loss in 10 fights.

In another undercard bout, former world amateur champion Michael Conlan of Ireland stopped Australian Jarrett Owen in the third round to notch his third straight knockout in as many fights.