It’s Vegas for Jerwin Ancajas' title defense

MANILA, Philippines — A formal announcement is expected any day now but the word is IBF superflyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas’ fifth title defense against countryman Jonas Sultan will headline a Top Rank boxing card in a five-star hotel in Las Vegas in the last week of May. 

The fight was originally set in the undercard of the Jeff Horn-Terence Crawford mainer at the Mandalay Resort and Casino on April 24 but the entire show was postponed.

Crawford suffered a right hand injury during a sparring session and Horn’s defense of the WBO welterweight championship has been reset to June 9 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

There was talk that the Ancajas-Sultan bout would remain in the undercard of the Horn-Crawford headliner but apparently, Top Rank has had a change of heart. 

With Ancajas’ growing popularity in the US market, one option was to showcase the Panabo, Davao del Norte, fighter in either Los Angeles or San Francisco where there is a large Filipino community. But in the end, it was decided to hold the fight in Las Vegas with the Ancajas defense as the main event.

Ancajas’ trainer Joven Jimenez was tight-lipped on exactly when the fight will be held. He said Top Rank and Las Vegas matchmaker Sean Gibbons would disclose the final details sometime this week. He said Ancajas has adjusted his training schedule with a fix on a fight date in late May.

“Jerwin was already doing 10 rounds of sparring when we were advised of the postponement,” said Jimenez in Pilipino yesterday.

“So we adjusted his routine to avoid burning out because of the delay. We don’t want Jerwin to peak too early. He went down to sparring four rounds. Once the new date is confirmed, we’ll begin to build up again to 10 and later 12 rounds.”

Today Ancajas is scheduled for a TV appearance with Mark Anthony Barriga, A. J. Banal and Marvin Sonsona at the ESPN5 studios in Mandaluyong.

Jimenez said it will be the last media engagement for the fighters before strict training at the Survival Camp in Magallanes, Cavite, without distractions.

Barriga, Banal and Sonsona are scheduled to take on separate opponents in a Metro Manila card on May 13.