Stepping out of Manny Pacquiao’s shadow requires yeoman effort from Jerwin Ancajas

By Nick Giongco

REDONDO BEACH, California—Jerwin Ancajas is on the cusp of his fifth straight fight on American soil and but remains relatively unknown.

This Saturday at the Dignity Sports Health Park in the neighboring city of Carson, Ancajas puts his International Boxing Federation (IBF) super-flyweight crown for the eighth time versus Jonathan Rodriguez of Mexico.

The IBF 115-lb champion since September 2016, Ancajas is apparently such a gifted fighter that Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum has the Filipino southpaw under contract.

And yet, Ancajas is struggling to attract the adulation of the hardcore fight fans.

Here are a few factors why this is so.

First and foremost, Manny Pacquiao has become the yardstick among Filipino world champions and regardless of what Ancajas and Nonito Donaire, the other marquee name of Philippine boxing do, their exploits would always be compared with that of the eight-division legend.

Reason No. 2 is style.

Ancajas’ style is totally different from that of Pacquiao. While they are both lefties, Pacquiao has a daredevil attitude atop the ring, a fire that refuses to be extinguished. In contrast, Ancajas is very calculated to the point of methodical.
Third, Ancajas has yet to figure in a fight with the 115-lb division’s big guns, something that wasn’t the case with Pacquiao, who terrorized every weight class he campaigned into.

The good news is that Ancajas’ team has come to realize that it is high-time for the 27-year-old puncher to take on the division’s marquee names.

In fact, they are in pursuit of World Boxing Council titleholder Juan Francisco Estrada of Mexico, who is widely recognized as the division’s top dog.

If an Estrada clash can’ be arranged in the first quarter of 2020, there are viable choices: World Boxing Association titlist Khalid Yafai of England or World Boxing Organization ruler Kazuto Ioka of Japan.

As of the moment, settling for the likes of Rodriguez next year is no longer an option.

Source: Manila Bulletin