Ancajas awaits date for title defense vs Rodriguez

FILE – 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—Jerwin Ancajas’ title defense against Mexico’s Jonathan Rodriguez is finally happening more than a year since it was announced.

Joven Jimenez, Ancajas’ trainer, said MP Promotions President Sean Gibbons is just waiting for the date of the bout that is set to be the main event of a Top Rank card in either April or May.

“I hope Jerwin gets to fight this year because it’s been so long since he last fought,” said Jimenez in Filipino Friday. “The only problem now is Top Rank’s date, which Sean is getting a confirmation on.”

“Though Top Rank has a lot of fighters under them, they want Jerwin to be a main eventer.”

Ancajas (32-1-2), who’s in the United States training alongside Olympic-bound Eumir Marcial, was supposed to defend his IBF World super flyweight title against Rodriguez (22-1) in November 2019 but the Mexican fighter ran into visa issues.

That bout was then bumped to April of 2020 but that, too, didn’t happen due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The match was then set for September 2020 but it was now Ancajas who ran into his own visa problems as he couldn’t go into his own interview with the United States embassy since Metro Manila was under lockdown.

Nevertheless, Ancajas has been preparing for Rodriguez, the IBF’s mandatory challenger, since the fight was first announced.

Ancajas has since had a successful title defense against Miguel Gonzalez with a sixth round technical knockout in December 2019—his last fight before the pandemic struck.

“This has been a waiting game of sorts,” said Jimenez. “Because of the pandemic, Top Rank has also had difficulty in setting up fights.”

Jimenez said that the bout would be broadcasted on ESPN+.