Fresno new site for Jerwin Ancajas bout

There’s still no confirmation on the actual venue for IBF superflyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas’ title defense against countryman and mandatory challenger Jonas Sultan but after Las Vegas and Palm Springs were considered, Fresno has gotten the go-signal to host the May 26 fight.

Las Vegas-based international matchmaker Sean Gibbons said yesterday he’s narrowing the possible Fresno venues to the Selland Arena where an 8-foot bronze statue stands in honor of hometown legend and former world welterweight titlist Young Corbett III and the Save Mart Arena. WBC superlightweight champion Jose Ramirez, a local hero, has fought in both the Selland and Save Mart Arenas.

Young Corbett III reigned as world welterweight king in 1933 and campaigned from 1919 to 1940. In 1932, he outpointed Ceferino Garcia, the only Filipino world middleweight champion, twice. Another Fresno boxing legend was heavyweight Mac Foster who lost a 15-round decision to Muhammad Ali in 1972.

The Selland Arena has a capacity of 11,300 for concerts and 10,220 for basketball. It was built in 1966 and renovated in 2006. The Save Mart Arena holds 16,182 for boxing. Gibbons didn’t express a preference for a venue but said it’s “1000 percent” sure that the fight is headed for Fresno. Previous options were the 3,000-seat Chelsea theatre of The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas and the 2,200-seat Spotlight 29 Showroom in Palm Springs, California. The fight was originally set in the undercard of the Jeff Horn-Terence Crawford mainer for the WBO welterweight crown at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on April 14 but the show was cancelled after Crawford came down with an injury in training camp. The main event will now be staged at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on June 9 with a brand new undercard.

“I need to give it another day,” said Gibbons on the status of negotiating a venue.  Gibbons mentioned that the Save Mart Arena has a bigger capacity for boxing and “I think we need Manny Pacquiao for that building.” But the Selland Arena is closed this week and it appears that talks with the operators of the Save Mart Arena are proceeding.

Ancajas’ trainer Joven Jimenez said it doesn’t matter where the fight is held. Ancajas and his traveling group will leave Manila for the US on May 15. At the moment, Ancajas is fully concentrated on getting ready for his fifth title defense.  Jimenez said Ancajas is no longer entertaining media invitations for Manila appearances. “Walang labasan na sa Survival Camp,” said Jimenez, referring to the no-frills facility in Magallanes, Cavite where Ancajas is holed up.

Ancajas is sparring with an army of fighters to stay sharp. His sparmates are Pete Apolinar, Daniel Lim, Ernesto Saulong, Jay-Ar Magboo and Alexis Avilar. Sultan, meanwhile, is just as busy at the ALA Gym in Cebu where Edito Villamor is supervising his training. “Focused at determinado si Jonas sa laban,” said Villamor. “Ito ang dream niya na makalaban ng world title at maiahon ang kaniyang pamilya sa hirap kaya grabe ang pinapakita niyang dedication sa training.”

Ancajas, 26, hasn’t lost in his last 16 fights dating back to 2012 when he dropped a majority decision to Mark Anthony Geraldo in Lapu-Lapu City, the only stain in his record of 29-1-1, with 20 KOs. Sultan, 26, is unbeaten in his last five outings with an overall record of 14-3, including 9 KOs. He zoomed to the top of the IBF ratings after beating former two-time world champion Johnriel Casimero in a title eliminator in Cebu last September. His other noteworthy victims were former WBC flyweight champion Sonny Boy Jaro, Tatsuya Ikemizu who was knocked out in two rounds in Osaka and Makazole Tete who also capitulated in two in South Africa.