Top Rank interested in Joshua Franco bout for Jerwin Ancajas

Jerwin Ancajas of the Philippines gestures to fans after defeating Ryuichi Funai of Japan in their 12-round Super Flyweight IBF World Title fight in Stockton, California on May 4, 2019. (Photo by Frederic J. BROWN / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines—Bob Arum is already cooking up plans for Filipino boxing champion Jerwin Ancajas, who last fought seven months ago.

The Top Rank CEO said in a RingTV.com report that Ancajas (32-1-2), the IBF World super flyweight champion, could face WBA titleholder Joshua Franco in a unification match in the near future.

Franco (17-1-2) scored a unanimous decision win over former champion Andrew Moloney on June 23 for his first World title while also spoiling the Australian’s erstwhile 21-0 record.

“This kid Franco who beat Andrew Moloney, he and Ancajas would be a tremendous fight,” said Arum who also expressed confidence that he could set up a fight between Ancajas and the fighter from Golden Boy Promotions.

“Golden Boy and ourselves interchange fighters, we did this even before the coronavirus. We have a good relationship with them.”

Arum may not have a problem dealing with Golden Boy, but the two fighters still have their respective challengers to take care of.

Moloney exercised his rematch clause with Franco with a date yet to be announced while Ancajas will eventually fight mandatory challenger Jonathan Javier Rodriguez (21-2) of Mexico after their fight was nixed twice.

Rodriguez was supposed to fight Ancajas in November but failed to secure a US visa for their Las Vegas tussle and their April bout was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

MP Promotions president Sean Gibbons, who also handles Ancajas, said that when Rodriguez finally got hold of his visa it was  the champion’s turn to have his travel put on hold because of the virus.

“They were scheduled to fight on November 2 last year when Rodriguez got the visa too late to enter the country,” said Gibbons. “Then he got the visa approved and the pandemic hit and Jerwin can’t get into the country.”