JERWIN ANCAJAS defends his International Boxing Federation (IBF) super flyweight title against mandatory challenger Jonathan Javier Rodriguez of Mexico on April 10 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Sean Gibbons, president of Manny Pacquiao’s MP Promotions, made the announcement on Sunday adding it will be Ancajas’s first fight for Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) of Al Haymon.
The fight—Ancajas’s (32-1-2 win-loss-draw record with 22 knockouts) ninth title defense—was postponed when Top Rank was still handling the event.
“This fight will be Tom Brown or TGB Promotions, same as Manny [Pacquiao] under the PBC, and yes, with Al Haymon,” Gibbons told BusinessMirror on Sunday.
Gibbons, however, clarified that ties with Top Rank remain.
“We can still fight with Top Rank if we want,” he said. “His contract expired a couple of years ago.”
Undefeated Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo (21-0 record with 14 knockouts) will also be fighting in the promotion’s undercard.
Magsayo will be fighting for the second time in the US against Houston native Pablo Cruz (21-3 record with six knockouts) in a non-title featherweight bout.
His US debut last October 3 in Los Angeles was a controversial split decision victory over American Rigoberto Hermosillo.
Ancajas, 29, has been training at the Wild Card gym under trainer and manager Joven Jimenez and sparring partner Jonas Sultan. Big Boss Cement of Gilbert Cruz is supporting his campaign.
The Panabo City native last fought in December 7 last year in Puebla, Mexico, under Top Rank, defeating Chilean challenger Miguel Gonzalez via sixth-round technical knockout.
Rodriguez (22-1 record with 16 knockouts) last fought in December 4 also last year, knocking out fellow Mexican Julius Yedras in their hometown.
The Ancajas-Rodriguez bout was first set for November 2, 2019, but the Mexican had issues with his passport. It was rescheduled for April 11, 2020, but was also dropped because of the pandemic.
“This fight is already two years in the making,” Gibbons said.