Jerwin Ancajas retained his IBF junior bantamweight world title on a unanimous determination Saturday, surviving a stiff check from challenger Jonathan Rodriguez to report his ninth straight title defence.
The 29-year-old Ancajas had to attain into his full bag of methods to beat the Mexican, with the three judges scoring 117-110, 116-111 and 115-112 within the Filipino’s favor on the Mohegan Sun Casino in Norwich, Connecticut.
Ancajas improved to 32-1-2, with 22 KOs after beating the necessary challenger within the 115-pound weight class.
Ancajas, who’s considered one of six present Filipino world champions, knocked Rodriguez (22-2, 16 KOs) down within the eighth spherical within the hard-hitting battle.
Rodriguez did surprisingly properly preventing inside and even landed a few of his finest punches after the knockdown as he made Ancajas work for the win.
The 25-year-old Rodriguez was coming off a primary spherical knockout of one-time world title challenger Julian Yedras in December.
Ancajas was supposed to defend his belt towards Rodriguez final April, however due to the Covid-19 pandemic the battle was postponed.
Ancajas final defended his title on December 2019, when he stopped Miguel Gonzalez in six rounds in Mexico.
Also, American Joe Smith bounced again within the late rounds to declare the vacant WBO gentle heavyweight championship with a majority determination over Russian Maxim Vlasov in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The judges scored the bout for Smith, 115-112, 115-113, 114-114.
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