Referee called it 'flawless'

STOCKTON – San Francisco referee Edward Collantes described IBF super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas’ defense against Japanese challenger Ryuichi Funai a “flawless” performance and should know because he was the third man in the ring at the Stockton Arena here Saturday night (Sunday morning, Manila time).

Collantes, 62, appeared in only his fourth world title fight but he’s worked amateur bouts since 2001 and in the pros since 2006. Over a week ago, he was the referee when Mexico’s Juan Francisco Estrada outpointed Thailand’s Srisaket Sor Rungvisai to wrest the WBC super flyweight title in Inglewood, California. Last year, Collantes and Frank Garza collaborated to conduct an officiating clinic at the WBC Women’s Convention and Asian Summit in Manila.

 “Funai wouldn’t quit,” said Collantes. “I thought Ancajas landed about 22 unanswered head shots in the sixth round. So when the bell started the seventh, I called in Dr. (Gary) Furness to check on Funai. Dr. Furness advised me to stop it and I did. There was no protest from Funai’s camp. Of course, Funai was disappointed and wanted to go on. He could’ve finished it on his feet but what for? Jerwin was in complete control and I didn’t want Funai badly hurt.”

Collantes said he could’ve waved it off at the end of the sixth round. “That’s what some referees like to do,” he said. “As for me, I want the ringside physician’s recommendation before I decide to end a fight. I actually asked Dr. Furness to examine Funai twice. The second time, Dr. Furness advised to end it.”

At the time of the stoppage, judges Jonathan Davis and Daniel Sandoval had it 60-54 and judge Kermit Bayless, 59-54, all for Ancajas. Davis, a retired Filipino bank executive who migrated to the US in 2008, said he was close to scoring the fourth 10-8 but decided against it as Funai kept throwing. Sandoval explained that in California, a 10-8 round is given only when a fighter is knocked down. “The state frowns on the practice of giving a dominant fighter a 10-8 round even if his opponent isn’t floored,” said Sandoval. Bayless, whose twin Kenny is a world championship referee, gave Funai the third round and scored the fourth 10-8 for Ancajas despite the California practice. 

Collantes, Davis and Sandoval visited Ancajas in his lockeroom after the fight to congratulate the champion. Collantes saw GAB chairman Abraham Mitra in the locker room and they embraced. "Chairman Mitra did a great job hosting the WBC Women's Convention last year," he said. "It was the best hosting ever, well-organized, well-planned. I found out Filipinos love to eat. There is breakfast, lunch, dinner and those snacks in between they call merienda. I ate sandwiches in between meals and I don't usually do that." Mitra and Collantes will be in Hawaii for the NABF Convention and the mid-year WBC Board meeting next week.

Regarding a unification showdown between Estrada and Ancajas, the consensus is it'll be an exciting duel. Estrada is bigger than Ancajas and likes to throw 1-2-3 combinations with the third punch the hardest of them all. How Ancajas will defend against a 1-2-3 combination from a bigger opponent is a challenge for the Filipino champion.