Philippines, 17 Jun 2026
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


COSTA: AWESOME! KAZUTO IOKA VS JERWIN ANCAJAS IN TOKYO; WHO WILL WIN? (ANALYSIS)


PhilBoxing.com




This fight is so cool!! World champions Kazuto Ioka and “Pretty Boy” Jerwin Ancajas will engage in hot battle to unify the IBF & WBO super flyweight crowns on New Year’s eve in Tokyo; and what a special holiday gift this is for boxing fans who wonder who will emerge victorious?

I can imagine that it will be an outstanding clash because of the superb quality of the two combatants.

Two times I have seen Kazuto Ioka (27-2, 15 KO's) from ringside and I have been impressed. First, I saw him 3 years ago in Macao when Kazuto lost a close fight against the great Donnie "Ahas" Nietes. It was a competitive technical clash won by the Donnie via split decision.

Then, I attended Kazuto's defense in Tokyo against Pinoy challenger Aston Palicte, and absolutely yes, Kazuto Ioka was outstanding, soundly stopping the tough Palicte in ten rounds, proving once again the kind of fantastic fighter he is: strong, skilled, experienced, smart.


Jerwin Ancajas lands hard on Japanese Ryuichi Funai. Fans wonder if Kazuto Ioka Will be punished the same way.

But the Filipino “Pretty Boy” Jerwin Ancajas (33-1-1, 22 KO's) is pretty terrific too!

At 29 years of age, three years younger that the Nippon star, Ancajas aims to soundly defeat Kazuto Ioka in his own backyard, to become the unified IBF/WBO super flyweight world champion, giving himself the very best present in this holiday season.

In my mind, I see this exciting Ioka vs Ancajas collision unfolding as a highly technical, very strategic battle, both men using their jabs as they usually do so efficiently, landing well-timed combinations, but never neglecting their defense as they are both aware of their opponent's proven abilities.

In fact, even though both men can hit hard, they are not raw brawlers. Not at all. They are both tactical fighters who wage battle completely calmed, cool and collected, studying their opponent’s weakness, checking them out, testing them, finding openings in their defense so as to take advantage later on with their superior, sound, effective, boxing skills. Absolutely.

In my mind, I don't imagine that this is going to be as an all-out war from the first bell. I'd bet that it will be an intense chess match, and it’s going to be fantastic: boxing at its best, entertaining and highly competitive.

Sure, there will be thrilling moments of superb intensity, as result of tough exchanges. We can be so sure of that. But I see this fighting encounter going the 12 rounds distance, of course, I could be wrong,

To me, both Kazuto and Jerwin are intelligent, technical boxers with high IQ and effective styles with lots of class, and fans will enjoy it in Japan.

Regarding the point of Jerwin going all the way to Ioka's hometown, well, how many times had Jerwin rumbled against opponents behind enemy lines? Yeah,, many. Ancajas going to his fighting partner’s backyard is OK with him. He has grown used to it. It's normal to him. It will not be a problem for the Pretty Boy to be in his best fighting mode in the great Land of the Rising Sun.

Importantly, at 29 years of age, Jerwin has arrived to the primetime of his boxing career with a wealth of valuable fighting experience, plus he has got more and more accurate and precise with his body attack. We can remember the way Jerwin dismantled Japanese Teiru Kinoshita with that body shot bomb in round 7 some years ago. Since then, Jerwin has further improved his body attack technique, which could be key in his New Year's eve war.


(L-R): Trainer Joven Jimenez, Jerwin Ancajas, Promoter Sean Gibbons and this Philboxing reporter during a boxing event in Malaysia in 2018.

In addition to experience and body attacks, precision and timing will be important tools that the Pinoy will have to make good use of against Kazuto Ioka, a man who is one of the three brightest and most popular stars in Japan's boxing (the other two are world champs "The Monster" Naoya Inoue and Ryota Murata).

Kazuto Ioka vs Jerwin Ancajas... indeed, what a great way to finish the year.

The winner will get a sky-rocketing super boost to his boxing career by becoming a unified IBF/WBO 115-pound world champion, positioning perfectly for even more thrilling and lucrative wars for 2022, perhaps wars against Nicaraguan star Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez or Mexican WBA king Juan Francisco "El Gallo" Estrada for complete super flyweight supremacy. There's a lot to win. But who will the winner be?

In my mind, this is going to be one super competitive fight that I guess will go the distance with the fighter from Davao coming on top by points, edging the amazing Nippon 4 division champ. But that is just my guess. And who do you pick?

May the Best Man Win.!!

#iokaancajas

The author Carlos Costa is a Philboxing reporter with a lifetime passion for the sport of boxing. Carlos can be reached at carlos512@hotmail.com and whatsapp/viber +639184538152.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Carlos Costa.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Sumabong to defend WBO title against undefeated Taiwanese on July 11 in Bohol
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 17 Jun 2026
  • Jordan Orozco Remains Perfect with Dominant Third-Round TKO of Fernando Diaz on MVP/Boxlab Card in Orlando
    , Wed, 17 Jun 2026
  • Floyd Mayweather Jr could face charges of fraud in Las Vegas
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 17 Jun 2026
  • EDDIE HEARN SIGNS DIVINE OMOJOR FOR MATCHROOM BOXING ON LONG-TERM DEAL AS NEWCASTLE TEENAGE CRUISERWEIGHT TURNS PRO
    , Wed, 17 Jun 2026
  • DC Trail Ultra on July 26 in Calinan
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 17 Jun 2026
  • Torre to grace Gov. Oaminal Chess Festival
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 17 Jun 2026
  • Apolinar, Santisima to fight on June 19 in Japan
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 17 Jun 2026
  • Canoy still waiting for his US visa for June 20 fight against Collazo
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 17 Jun 2026
  • "Hand of Stone" Roberto Durán celebrates 75th birthday
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 17 Jun 2026
  • Sy-Tancontian excited on Asia and Oceania Sambo Championships
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 17 Jun 2026
  • Jean Henri Lhuillier Backs RP Blu Girls' Intensive Japan Training Camp Ahead of Women's Softball World Cup
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 17 Jun 2026
  • Digos 2 Malita 70km Ultramarathon on June 20
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 17 Jun 2026
  • THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 17 JUNE 2026: Bam Stops Vargas in 6; Wins by Michel Soro, Wilkens Mathieu, Elif Nur Turhan, Nataly Delgado and Abraham Perez
    By Eric Armit, , Tue, 16 Jun 2026
  • Undefeated world champion Ataev faces experienced Venezuelan puncher Uzcátegui at IBA PRO 19
    , Tue, 16 Jun 2026
  • Full Fight Card Set for MF Pro’s “Pugilist Revolution” June 19 at Thunder Studios in Long Beach
    , Tue, 16 Jun 2026
  • Campbell son of Ricky Hatton confirms ring return
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Tue, 16 Jun 2026
  • Deaño to fight for ABF super feather title
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 16 Jun 2026
  • Former champ Andy Ruiz could return against Huggie Fury in 2026
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Tue, 16 Jun 2026
  • Mexican legend Jackie Nava inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Mon, 15 Jun 2026
  • Ronnie Alvarez Dominates Filip Stankovic, Scores Seventh-Round TKO at Desert Diamond Arena
    , Sun, 14 Jun 2026
  • THE CROWNING OF BAM: Rodriguez Overcomes Early Storm to Detonate Vargas in Six, Eyes Inoue Super-Fight
    By Dong Secuya, , Sun, 14 Jun 2026
  • New York Knicks win the NBA Championship with historic comeback
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sun, 14 Jun 2026
  • Panamanian superstar Nataly Delgado wins 115lb female WBA world championship in Orlando, Florida
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sun, 14 Jun 2026
  • IBA Bare Knuckle to make historic United States debut in Miami
    , Sun, 14 Jun 2026
  • Laurente remains undefeated, TKOs Aguan in Gensan
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sun, 14 Jun 2026




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2026 philboxing.com.