| |
|
Ancajas steps up training at Wild Card
By Joaquin Henson PhilBoxing.com Fri, 26 Feb 2021

IBF superflyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas is set to make the ninth defense of his crown against dangerous Mexican mandatory challenger Jonathan Javier Rodriguez at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on April 17 or 24. It will be Ancajas’ first fight since halting Chile’s Miguel Gonzalez in Mexico in December 2019 and he’s been working out in Los Angeles the last five months.
Ancajas, 29, started reporting at the Wild Card Gym last Wednesday to step up training and will spar in Freddie Roach’s facility MWF with the other days in the week reserved for drills at the makeshift gym with a 16x16 ring in the backyard of the L. A. home where he stays with trainer Joven Jimenez, sparmate Jonas Sultan and Olympic middleweight qualifier Eumir Marcial.

Freddie Roach with (from left) Eumir Marcial, Jerwin Ancajas and Jonas Sultan.
Rodriguez, 25, has stayed active during the pandemic and last December, stopped Julian Yedras in the first round in Monterrey. He improved his record to 22-1, with 16 KOs compared to Ancajas’ 32-1-2, with 22 KOs. Jimenez said Ancajas and Rodriguez are friends on Facebook but they’re hardly friendly. “Pinagyayabang ni Rodriguez ang training niya, lagi may post,” said Jimenez. Ancajas isn’t taking the Mexican No. 3 contender lightly. Rodriguez gained notoriety by sending two-time world title challenger Felipe Orocuta to the hospital for seven weeks after scoring a 10th round KO in 2019. The Ancajas-Rodriguez bout has been postponed twice but it’s finally coming off the wraps in April.
Marcial trains six days a week with Roach and Marvin Somodio. He’s keeping in shape banging with heavier sparmates who can take his punch. The other day, Marcial sparred with a supermiddleweight. Marcial plans to stay in L. A. up to April then return to Manila to rejoin the ABAP team for the final training stretch before the Tokyo Olympics. A second pro fight may be in the works for Marcial but it’s not certain. Another Filipino training at Wild Card is world-ranked featherweight Mark Magsayo who’s in line for a fight on April 10.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joaquin Henson.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
May 16: Kelvin Davis-Peter Dobson Welterweight Clash & Yan Santana-Cristian Cruz Featherweight Battle Added to Keyshawn Davis-Nahir Albright II Card LIVE on DAZN , Wed, 22 Apr 2026World Super Flyweight contender John ‘Scrappy’ Ramirez waiting for Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez’ final decision , Wed, 22 Apr 2026Former champ Lawrence Okolie tested positive in VADA testing By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 22 Apr 2026Salim Ellis-Bey Secures Win for Team USA on Day One of World Boxing Cup - Stage 1 , Wed, 22 Apr 2026Garcia, Young, Gatus banner tough field in 20th Philippine Xiangqi Open Tournament on May 1 By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 22 Apr 2026THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION APRIL 20 APRIL 2026: Baumgardner Outpoints Shin, Retains IBF/WBA/WBO 130 Lb Titles; Daniels Stops Green in 9; Lorente SD Collins in WBC Welter Eliminator By Eric Armit, , Tue, 21 Apr 2026Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimán: A Year of Memories Between the Ring and Faith By Mauricio Sulaimán, , Tue, 21 Apr 2026High Stakes in Ufa: Subkhankulov and Usmonov Clash for IBF #2 Spot By Dong Secuya, , Tue, 21 Apr 2026Elorde Jr. is new PBF president By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 21 Apr 2026Ancajas wins 1st bout as feather By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 21 Apr 2026Ito knockouts Lerasan in 1st round By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 21 Apr 2026Kristian ‘KP’ Prenga developing into Albanian heavyweight boxing GOAT , Tue, 21 Apr 2026IIEE PSME Quezon City Simba’s Tribe amazed with GAB Chairman Rivera’s advocacy for chess players By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 21 Apr 2026‘CALM’ PERO READY TO FACE MILLER’S FIRE , Tue, 21 Apr 2026Hall of Famer Rafael Marquez's son Aaron wins professional debut By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Tue, 21 Apr 2026Top Super Featherweights Tsendy Erdenebat & Cobia Breedy Battle in 10-Round Main Event of ProBoxTV’s ‘The Contender Series’ at Live! Casino Hotel Maryland , Tue, 21 Apr 2026Registration Now Open for the Return of the Butterfly Brawl at the Iconic Santa Monica Pier – August 22, 2026 , Tue, 21 Apr 2026Brackets Set for USA Boxing Elite High Performance Team at World Boxing Cup - Stage One , Tue, 21 Apr 2026Team Altagracia Primus Praedia Land Holding champ in Pacquiao chess By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 21 Apr 20262-Division World Champion Daniel Ponce De León Confirmed for Ninth Annual Box Fan Expo, During Cinco De Mayo Weekend, Saturday May 2, in Las Vegas , Tue, 21 Apr 20262026 NBA Playoffs: First Round Game 1 Recap By Reylan Loberternos, , Mon, 20 Apr 2026FIDE Master Ivan Travis Cu gains a total of 36 rating points, bringing his FIDE rating to 2321 by May after completing 2 chess tournaments in Spain By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 20 Apr 2026Irish super middleweight prospect Tommy ‘The Governor’ Hyde Improves to 15-0 with 10th KO , Mon, 20 Apr 2026IBA Bare-Knuckle Director attends historic Gambian Elite National Championships , Sun, 19 Apr 2026Rosales stops Obedencio in RFL 4 By Lito delos Reyes, , Sun, 19 Apr 2026 |

|
|
|
|
|