Jerwin Ancajas vs. Israel Gonzalez on Feb.3 on ESPN

By Boxing News - 12/16/2017 - Comments

Image: Jerwin Ancajas vs. Israel Gonzalez on Feb.3 on ESPN

By Jeff Aranow: IBF World super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas (28-1-1, 19 KOs) will be defending his title against #10 IBF Israel Gonzalez (21-1, 8 KOs on February 3 on the undercard of WBO super middleweight champion Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez vs. Habib Ahmed fight at the Bank of America Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Ancajas vs. Gonzalez will be televised in the co-feature fight on ESPN, and seen by a lot of boxing fans in the States.

MP Promotions matchmaker Sean Gibbons told RingTV that Ancajas is “very close to formalizing a deal” with Top Rank. If Ancajas signs with Top Rank, it’ll give the U.S promotional company a new potential star to one day replace Manny Pacquiao, who is nearing the end of his career. It’ll be more difficult for Top Rank to turn Ancajas into the same kind of star that Pacquiao was due to him fighting in the super flyweight vision. It’s not a division that historically has attracted a lot of attention in the U.S.

This is an excellent opportunity for the 25-year-old Ancajas to increase his visibility with the U.S boxing public. Ancajas has recently emerged as an exciting fighter to watch after his 12 round decision win over IBF 115 lb. champion McJoe Arroyo last year in September. The heavy-handed Ancajas has since defended his IF title 3 times successfully in stopping Jose Alfredo Rodriguez, Teiru Kinoshita and Jamie Conlan.

Ancajas looked superb in his last fight in stopping Conlan in the 6th round knockout last month on November 18 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Ancajas knocked Conland down 4 times in the fight in dropping him in rounds 1, 3, 4 and 6. Ancajas showed huge power in his shots to the body of Conlan. Each time Conlan would try and get his offense untracked, Ancajas would nail him with devastating body shots that would send him down to the canvas. Ancajas is easily the best body puncher in the super flyweight division. Ancaja put on a real body punching display in stopping Conlan.

Ancajas has a real knack for throwing to the body. While some boxing fans compare Ancajas to a young Manny Pacquiao, I see him more as a young Julio Cesar Chavez. Ancajas doesn’t have the hand speed and work rate of Pacquiao. What Ancajas does have is huge power with both hands, and an ability to throw to the body like no else in the 115-lb. division.

Gonzalez has recent wins over Reymundo Hernandez, Luis Carillo, Yonathan Padilla and Cristian Cortes. Gonzalez has not been facing the better-known fighters form the super flyweight division. It’s going to be a huge step up for him to fight Ancajas.

Also on the Ramirez vs. Ahmed card is heavyweight contender Andy Ruiz Jr. (29-1, 19 KOs) fighting against an opponent sill to be determined. Ruiz Jr. hasn’t fought since losing a controversial 12 round decision to Joseph Parker last year in December. Ruiz Jr. has been out of action for all 2017.

Undefeated light welterweight Teofimo Lopez (7-0, 6 KOs) is also on the card fighting a still to be determined opponent. Lopez is a great prospect with a lot of power in his shots. It’ll be fun to watch him fight.