Rising Filipino boxing superstar Jerwin “Pretty Boy” Ancajas will be making a special appearance at ONE: KINGDOM OF HEROES tonight and marveled at ONE Championship’s ability to promote events and fighters.
His attendance will be seemingly apt as the event is headlined by a 12-round championship clash between WBC Super Flyweight World Champion Srisaket Sor Rungvisai and Mexican challenger Iran “MagnifiKO” Diaz.
Ancajas was first ringside last April to watch live ONE: Heroes of Honor here in the Philippines.
That appearance left him a lasting impression on how ONE delivers its world-class production and exceptional promotion of its athletes.
“Last April, it’s my first time to watch a live mixed martial arts event. I’ve always watched it on TV, but it’s a whole different experience seeing it live. I really had a delightful time. The production value is truly world-class,” the boxer shared.
Ancajas pointed out that ONE Championship’s dive into the boxing scene would make a huge impact on the sport.
“ONE Championship is a huge promotion. It will be good for boxing because there are only a few big boxing promoters in the Philippines and in Asia. This kind of support is needed, and should boxing have this kind of events, it will be a huge help for boxing in the region,” he stressed.
His experience made him want more of it.
“I am excited to meet all of the adoring martial arts fans in Bangkok this weekend. The Thai people are so passionate about combat sports. ONE Championship has prepared a stacked card featuring a solid group of local competitors mixed in with some of the best international talents on the company’s roster,” Ancajas said.
He was thrilled that ONE Championship was holding its first boxing bout, aside from the usual mixed martial arts and Muay Thai matches.
Ancajas, hailing from Panabo City, Davao del Norte, has been touted as the next standard bearer of the country’s well-established boxing scene after capturing the IBF Super Flyweight World Championship against McJoe Arroyo in September, 2016.
Since his world title-capturing performance two years ago, Ancajas has defended his red-laced boxing strap on six different occasions, the recent being a split draw against Mexico’s Alejandro Santiago Barrios.
Ancajas now sports a professional boxing record of 30-1-2 with 20 knockouts.
The 26-year-old Filipino southpaw looks to square off with some of the big names in the 115-pound weight class early next year, including Sor Rungvisai, Khalid “Kal” Yafai and Juan Francisco Estrada.
By: ARMANDO M. BOLISLIS
