Jerwin Ancajas Could Face Mandatory Challenger Next In Historic All-FIlipino Fight

Days after IBF super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas wrapped up another title defense in impressive fashion, plans are already in place for Ancajas to have another title defense.

MP Promotions matchmaker Sean Gibbons told Renz Ongkiko of Sportscenter Philippines that the plan is to have Ancajas fight his mandatory challenger, who happens to be fellow Filipino Jonas Sultan.

“In the IBF we have a mandatory with another Filipino Jonas Sultan. We’re looking into that. If we have to do that fight we’ll do it. If not, we’ll see what’s out there. But we’re kind of looking at the mandatory right now,” Gibbons said.

Ancajas scored a knockout win over Israel Gonzalez on the televised portion of the February 3 Top Rank Boxing on ESPN card in Corpus Christi, Texas. It was the second straight fight Ancajas had on ESPN as his previous fight was against Teiru Kinoshita on the undercard of Manny Pacquiao vs. Jeff Horn fight in Australia.

Ancajas, who is co-promoted by Pacquiao, signed a deal to also be promoted by Top Rank which means Ancajas will see a lot more televised action in his future. The fight against Gonzalez was Ancajas’ debut fight in the United States.

Sultan is the IBF Intercontinental super flyweight champion and has been the mandatory challenger since beating Johnriel Casimero last September in Cebu City, Philippines. If Ancajas vs. Sultan for the IBF title does happen, it will be the first time in nearly 93 years that two Filipinos will fight for a boxing world championship. The last all-Filipino title fight was in 1925 when Pancho Villa beat Clever Sencio to retain his world flyweight championship in Manila.