IBF champ Ancajas makes US debut

International Boxing Federation (IBF) super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas finally breaks into the US market, making his next title defense on Feb. 3 (RP time) against Mexican Israel Gonzalez at the Bank of America Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.

The 25-year-old Ancajas had a very impressive year, winning all of his three fights by stoppage. He made his first title defense in January at the Cotai Arena in Macau, wherein he won a seventh round stoppage of Alfredo Rodriguez in the seventh after a shoulder injury.

Ancajas next traveled to Brisbane, Australia and defended his title against Japanese Teiru Kinoshita in the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao vs. Jeff Horn event. He stopped Kinoshita in seven rounds.

Ancajas’ third title defense was just last month, in which he destroyed Jamie Conlan in six rounds in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Gonzalez is the 10th ranked fighter in the IBF super flyweight division. He is on an eight fight winning streak after suffering his only career defeat last year against unheralded Argi Cortes by unanimous decision. One of Gonzalez’s victims in his streak is former world champion Ramon Garcia-Hirales, who he beat by unanimous decision.

Ancajas is 28-1-1 with 19 knockouts, while Gonzalez is 21-1 with eight knockouts.

The Ancajas vs. Gonzalez fights is part of Top Rank Boxing on ESPN that is headlined by World Boxing Organization (WBO) super middleweight king Gilberto Ramirez’s title defense against Habib Ahmed.