Jerwin Ancajas (27-1-1) is gearing up for a fight that may change the fate of his career. A battle that puts him in a ?make-or-break? situation in a faraway land.
The 25-year-old Filipino fighter out of Davao del Norte, is scheduled to to take on Jamie Conlan (19-0) on Saturday as a visiting fighter in Northern Ireland.
Let?s look further at what this fight could do in decorating the career of the Philippines? best young fighter? Make or break situation
Ancajas is known for his in-and-out movement and sidesteps to facilitate his attack and as he faces Conlan, he is hoping to sustain his momentum with his third defense of his title. Fighting Conlan, Ancajas knows he is about to challenge someone who will not go down easily with his expected flurries of punches.
The 31-year-old Belfast native capitalizes on his power and tremendous hand speed inside the ring. Last year, he showed an excellent display of his will as he stood strong and prevailed over Anthony Nelson in a bout where the two warriors traded knockdowns. Conlan is undefeated with his unblemished record of 19 wins (11 by KO) but Nelson exposed a loophole on his vulnerability after scoring a knockdown against him.
Often engaging in wars inside the ring, Conlan?s downfall will be his own bravery and commitment to fighting at such a high intensity, showing little regard for defense or his own well-being.
Although Ancajas will enter the ring as the champion, he will experience an uphill struggle in fighting a taller fighter on his home turf in Belfast. The odds are stacked against him outside the ring, however as a 1-5 favourite coming into the ring, the Filipino champion will be confident in his artillery. The possibility of a hometown decision doesn?t hold much of a concern for Ancajas as he seems to understand the playbook of a visiting fighter with knockout victories in all of his five overseas fights.
What else is at stake?
Taking his talent in Europe may entitle him an opportunity of a lifetime. In Britain where boxing is on the rise, he is arriving right on time on a real roll, awaiting to show the world how much of a talent he really is. The football-crazy nation is currently offering an open-goal in showcasing foreign fighters during this modern era boxing revolution.
The golden opportunity which may give him a shot of a lifetime is solely dependant on his performance in the fight on Saturday. Fighters now residing in ?Blighty? like Venezuelan ace Jorge Linares (who made a huge pivot after a long stint in Japan with his move to the UK), prove that boxing has officially set its foot in the country and is open to the world?s boxing talent.
Whether its a win or loss for the thriving Ancajas, there?s one thing at the top of his checklist he needs to do: put on a show in Belfast, leaving everything in the ring. He proved that he can defy the odds of a visiting fighter in the past, so he needs to stick to his gameplan and complete his assignment in studying his opponent?s style; strategizing the victory. Still at just 25-years-old, Ancajas? potential and peak may not have been reached, so with each coming fight we expect to see a new side and vast improvement of ?Pretty Boy?, with Saturday hoping to be no different.
He may still may be a way off reaching this mentioned potential as a fighter, however winning away from home in Northern Ireland could open up a whole new range of possibilities for Ancajas as he looks to spread his wings.
