Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 12) – Jerwin Ancajas retained his IBF junior bantamweight title on Sunday (Philippine time) after scoring a unanimous decision win over Mexico’s Jonathan Rodriguez.
Ancajas notched the victory after getting scores of 115-112, 116-111, and 117-110 in the Premier Boxing Champions-promoted undercard fight held at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Ancajas, nicknamed “Pretty Boy,” improved his win-loss-draw slate to 33-1-2, 22 KOs while Rodriguez fell to 22-2, 15 KOs.
The Filipino world champion, who last defended his crown in December 2020 by knocking out another Mexican in Miguel Gonzalez, dominated the first six rounds of the fight. The rising Mexican boxing star, who made his U.S. debut, started to engage in his punches after Round 6.
In the final seconds of the eighth round, Ancajas floored Rodriguez with a barrage of punches in the corner to give the Mexican the first knockdown in his career.
The Panabo, Davao del Norte native delivered more blows in the latter rounds to pick up the win for his ninth title defense.
Rodriguez led in punches thrown (273-232) and power shots (253-176), while Ancajas landed more body shots (131-44) and jabs (56-20).
“Our hard work paid off because we have been training here for seven months. The knockdown proved to be an advantage on my part, his (Rodriguez) legs were already wobbling in the last three rounds but he was a strong fighter,” said Ancajas in the post-fight press conference.
Meanwhile, top Filipino featherweight bet Mark Magsayo defeated Pablo Cruz in four rounds with a knockout in one of the other undercard fights.
Magsayo first floored Cruz in the second round, courtesy of a jab. In the third round, the Filipino fighter threw a combination ending with a left hook to his opponent for his second knockdown in the match.
Magsayo landed a right straight against Cruz at the opening of the fourth round for the third knockdown, where referee John Callas decided not to count and stop the fight instead.
Magsayo remains undefeated with 22 wins, 15 of them via knockouts. He last fought in October 2020 with a split decision victory over Rigoberto Hermosillo.
