Top Rank once banked on a Filipino boxer named Manny Pacquiao to be a future superstar and it has payed off. Now Top Rank hopes to do the same with super flyweight world champion Jerwin Ancajas.
Ancajas retained the IBF super flyweight title with a 10th round knockout win over Israel Gonzalez, taking place on the co-main event of ESPN’s first Top Rank Boxing event of 2018. Ancajas displayed an incredible offensive gameplan that saw the Filipino star knock down Gonzalez three times throughout the fight.
It was Ancajas’ first pro fight in the United States and made the most of it, competing on a national stage for the second straight fight. Ancajas, who was promoted by Pacquiao and recently signed a promotional deal with Top Rank, knocked out Gonzalez with a stiff left hand to his chin, ending the contest.
In a post-fight interview, Ancajas, with the help of a translator, said he is not concerned with the Pacquiao comparisons.
"I'm not too worried about the comparisons to Manny Pacquiao. But if I can achieve a little bit of the success that he has achieved I will be very happy," Ancajas said.
The IBF champion has held the title since beating McJoe Arroyo in 2016 and has made four successful title defenses. Ancajas last defended his title on the undercard of Pacquiao’s last fight against Jeff Horn, beating Teiru Kinoshita by TKO.
The main event of that card, which took place in Corpus Christi, Texas, saw Gilberto Ramirez retain his WBO super middleweight title against Habib Ahmed.
