FRESNO, Calif.?Pressed for an answer by the open workout announcer as he exited the ring, Jerwin Ancajas finally uttered the expected answer: I will bring home my belt.
The shy, humble champion was referring to the International Boxing Federation super flyweight crown, which he intends to defend for the fifth straight time on Saturday here.
That his countryman, Jonas Sultan, will be at the opposing corner, no longer poses a serious concern for the pride of Panabo City and adopted son of Magallanes town, Cavite.
For Ancajas, it?s purely business. When the fight is over, they will continue to be friends on Facebook.
“My goal is to entertain the crowd. For my fans, the Filipino community here, I’m looking forward to this fight,” Ancajas said during Wednesday?s open workout held at Heartbeat Boxing. “I’m proud that my dream has come true. All of my sacrifices paid off.”
Tagged as the heavy favorite, Ancajas, however, isn?t about to get complacent.
“Sultan is hungry for a world title fight, to prove he is the best. I am confident, but not overconfident, because he’s also Filipino,? said Ancajas, who totes a 29-1-1 card with 20 knockouts.
“There are many great fighters in the Philippines, and I am happy that Jonas and myself can share this big stage. We are making history, and I am glad that we can fight to see who is the best,” added Ancajas, who trained under Joven Jimenez at Survival Camp in Magallanes, before coming to the United States on May 17.
Sultan said that to fight for the world championship is his ultimate dream.
That?s why he has trained long and hard, enduring the pain of being away from his family for six months and arriving in the US two weeks ahead of Ancajas.
“This is very good for me because this is an important opportunity,? said Sultan, a former streetfighter who has refined his skills at ALA Boxing stale in Cebu City. “Jerwin is a good fighter. He has speed and power.?
?I have a really good plan for this fight,” said Sultan (14-3 with 9 knockouts).
Whether it will be effective against Ancajas, however, will only be known on fight night.
