Jerwin Ancajas and Jonas Sultan were all smiles when they met face to face for the very first time since they were announced to fight in a mandatory bout.
Although there’s no fight date available yet for their world junior bantamweight tussle, the two are sure to meet in a historic all-Filipino fight, the first in 93 years.
“Excited na po kami sa laban. Iniisip ko po na hindi lang para sa akin kundi para sa amin ni Sultan po,” Ancajas, the reigning title holder, told media along the sidelines of the 2018 Elorde Awards early this week.
The Panabo City native, one of the 3 honorees for Boxer of the Year together with Marlon Tapales and Milan Melindo, said the title fight will be an opportunity to show the Filipino brand of fighting.
“Gusto naming ipakita sa American fans na magandang panoorin 'yung Pinoy versus Pinoy na laban,” Ancajas said.
The Ancajas-Sultan bout could happen some time in May or June either in San Francisco or Los Angeles.
“Para sa akin, masaya rin ako at excited sa magiging laban namin dahil historical ang labanan namin at alam ko na marami kaming ibibigay sa laban,” Sultan said.
Meanwhile, boxing analyst Nissi Icasiano said the bout will be interesting since both fighters have advantages and disadvantages over the other.
Icasiano said the hard-hitting Sultan has had trouble handling southpaws.
“The main problem of Jonas Sultan is he fought a southpaw only once and he lost,” said Icasiano, referring to Sultan’s unanimous decision loss to Go Onaga back in 2016. “And Jerwin Ancajas is a southpaw.”
Ancajas, on the other hand, has yet to tackle a real test from a heavy-handed fighter. And Sultan is a big puncher, said Icasiano.
“Hindi pa natin nakikita si Jerwin Ancajas na makatanggap ng solid ang natanggap niya, kung ano'ng gagawin ni Jerwin Ancajas once he gets rocked,” Icasiano said. -- From a report by Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN News
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