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Jerwin Ancajas is set for his next fight in the wake of watching a title unification bout collapse beyond his control.
BoxingScene.com has learned that the long-reigning IBF junior bantamweight titlist will next face Argentina’s Fernando Daniel Martinez in a bout tentatively scheduled to take place on a February date in the United States. The likely date is February 19, with Rappler.com reporting either New York or New Jersey as the destination.
The bout comes in lieu of Ancajas traveling to Japan for a two-belt unification clash with WBO champion Kazuto Ioka (27-2, 15KOs). The two were due to collide this Friday in Tokyo, only for Ancajas (33-1-2, 22KOs) to be pulled from the show due to Japan disallowing foreign travelers to enter its borders since November 30 in efforts to prevent the spread of coronavirus variant Omicron.
Japan’s Ioka will instead face countryman Ryoji Fukunaga atop the New Year’s Eve show at Ota-City Gymnasium in Tokyo.
Meanwhile, Ancajas moves on. The 29-year-old southpaw from Panabo City, Philippines attempts the tenth defense of the title he won in a twelve-round decision over McJoe Arroyo in September 2016. The bout is just his second since the pandemic after once enjoying a more active schedule, having last fought in an entertaining twelve-round win over Jonathan Javier Rodriguez this past April at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Martinez (13-0, 8KOs) will enter his first career title fight, also making his U.S. debut in the process. The 30-year-old from Buenos Aires, Argentina fights on the road for the third time in his last four starts after having previously fought exclusively in his home country.
The fight with Ancajas—a seasoned veteran who is among the sport’s longest reigning active titlists—is a major step up in class for Martinez, though his best win to date came in his first career fight on foreign soil. Martinez scored an eleventh-round knockout of Athenkosi Dumezweni in December 2019 in East London, South Africa, having traveled abroad two fights later for his most recent fight, a fourth-round knockout of upside down journeyman Gonzalo Garcia (19-22-2, 10KOs) this past August in Dubai.
Ancajas will enter the ring having held his IBF junior bantamweight title for 65 months, the third longest reign among active major titlists. WBC featherweight titlist Gary Russell Jr. (31-1, 18KOs; champ since March 2015) and WBA strawweight champion Thammanoon Niyomtrong (23-0, 9KOs; champ since June 2016) are the only current titleholders ahead of Ancajas on the list.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox