Boxing: Ancajas eyes Sor Rungvisai after mandatory title defense | ABS-CBN

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Boxing: Ancajas eyes Sor Rungvisai after mandatory title defense

Boxing: Ancajas eyes Sor Rungvisai after mandatory title defense

Dennis Gasgonia,

ABS-CBN News

 | 

Updated Mar 22, 2021 01:34 PM PHT

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MANILA -- Jerwin Ancajas will be coming in highly motivated to defend his IBF junior bantamweight crown when he returns to the ring against mandatory challenger Jonathan Rodriguez on April 10.

Not only will it be his first fight since getting sidelined by the pandemic, it will possibly be his ticket to marquee fights against junior bantamweight stars Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez.

MP Promotions president Sean Gibbons said this will be made possible with Ancajas signing up with Al Haymon's Premier Boxing Champions (PBC).

"This opportunity (with PBC) came up and kind of opened things up. if Jerwin is successful on April 10th, we have the chance to fight the best of the best," Gibbons said in an online presser with Ancajas and another MP Promotions handled fighter Mark Magsayo.

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"We have (with PBC) the 'Rat King' Rungvisai, we have Chocolatito and Estrada."

Ancajas' bouts were previously handled by Bob Arum's Top Rank, which was forced to release the Filipino after struggling to find fight dates for the "Pretty Boy" due to visa issues and the pandemic.

"We're still good with Top Rank, we're still good with Bob Arum...
There was no issue with them; the issue is with the dates, the visa and the pandemic," said Gibbons.

With PBC, Ancajas has been given a bigger chance of landing that title unification bout he has always wanted.

It's either that, or he gets what Gibbons describes as a "signature fight."

"Jerwin has fought a lot of good fights... but you always want that big name that everybody recognizes that boxing people and media say 'That's the guy. We know this guy, he beats that guy,'" said Gibbons.

Since Estrada and Gonzalez are likely to figure in another rematch, the MP Promotions executive believes Ancajas has the biggest chance in landing a fight against Rungvisai.

"Rungvisai is kind of the odd man out now. He was supposed to rematch with Juan Estrada. But it looks like they're gonna do Juan Estrada versus Chocolatito 3. That's always the fight Jerwin likes, he loves the style, he loves the fight. We hope we can get that," said Gibbons.

"There has been a lot of criticism over the year that he hasn't fought the top guys, we're ready now."

But first, Ancajas will have to beat Rodriguez in impressive fashion.

The fight is scheduled to take place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut in a card headlined by a welterweight bout between top prospect Jaron Ennis and former 140-pound titlist Sergey Lipinets.

"Kaya itong laban na ito, ito ang finocus ko ngayon," said Ancajas who has been training in the US for over 5 months now.

"Ito ang susi na makalaban ako sa unification, lalo na kay Rungvisai. Matagal ko nang hinahangad na makalaban sila. Ibubuhos ko dito ang kung anumang pinaghandaan namin."

Also included in the card is undefeated featherweight prospect Mark Magsayo who will fight Pablo Cruz.

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Adamson's prized rookie Shaina Nitura embracing immediate veteran role for young Falcons

Adamson's prized rookie Shaina Nitura embracing immediate veteran role for young Falcons

Rom Anzures,

ABS-CBN News

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Adamson University prized rookie Shaina Nitura in her Lady Falcons debut in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament. Photo from UAAP Media.Adamson University prized rookie Shaina Nitura in her Lady Falcons debut in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament. Photo from UAAP Media.MANILA — Adamson University Shaina Nitura has given her squad a clearer sense of direction as they enter a new chapter of Lady Falcons volleyball.

The San Marcelino-based spikers made a statement in their UAAP Season 87 debut on Sunday as they completed a reverse sweep of Ateneo de Manila University, and at the forefront of that was no other than Adamson U’s super rookie.

“Nung una talaga, very stiff po ako,” admitted the 20-year-old after the game. “May first game jitters as a rookie. Mahirap siya kasi kanina, pero ni-relax ko lang yung first and second set ko kasi I have to be composed pero hindi maganda yung timpla ng pagka-relax ko.”

Ateneo was on the verge of a sweep as they led Adamson two sets to none, but fortunately for the Lady Falcons, this was when Season 86 high school volleyball and Finals MVP found her footing.

“Ni-remind ako ni coach [JP Yude] na kailangan ko i-timpla yung ginagawa ko and so, in a way, ginising ko rin yung teammates ko,” said the Cainta, Rizal native. “Hindi naman pwedeng hindi ako magsalita. Down na kami ng two sets, and ayaw pa namin gumalaw, so I talked to them na. Pampagising, and gumana naman po”

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Nitura went on to rally the Lady Falcons to their five-set victory, and in doing so, broke the league’s record for the most points scored by a rookie with 33.

However, she downplayed the feat. Shaina instead emphasized how helping turn Adamson’s program into one of the contenders in the UAAP is her main goal, much like how she towed their high school squad to a championship.

“We want more for the team, not individually, but for the team,” she insisted. “Dahil nakatikim kami ng isang panalo, I think we’re gonna be hungry for more.”

“Personally po, hindi naman po ako naglo-look forward for [records]. Bonus na lang po yun kung sakaling magkaroon. Thankful po, syempre, praise the Lord, pero hindi pa naman po tapos yung season.”

It would be a daunting task for Nitura to help Adamson soar back into contender status, especially since they are coming off Season 86 wherein they only tallied three wins in 14 outings.

Despite these challenges, Nitura — who belongs to a family of athletes that includes Colegio de San Juan de Letran’s Judiel Nitura and Mapua University’s Cyrus Nitura — believes she is prepared to help make AdU’s goals a reality even if she is still only in her rookie year.

“Talagang finorsee ko na lahat ng hirap at challenges na pwedeng mangyari,” she said. “Ibang level na po ito para sa akin, pero hindi naman na po ako naninibago.”

”Sinanay na ako nila coach at ng mga tao sa paligid ko, so pinipilit ko na yung mga teammates ko na mag step up as well. Pag nag step up ako and they also step up, it will be harder for us to lose.”

”So ‘di naman na siya bago sa akin. Pag may ganyan kang talent, bigger responsibility ang meron ka, so ready ako,” added Nitura, who started playing the sport since she was in Grade 3.

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