ni Gilbert Espena

MAGAANG nakuha ni Filipino Jerwin Ancajas ang timbang sa 114.2 pounds samantalang mas mabigat si Japanese challenger Ryuichi Funai sa 114.4 ponds kaya tuloy ang kanilang 12 rounds na sagupaan ngayon para sa IBF super flyweight title sa Stockton Arena, Stockton, California sa United States.

Sa huling press conference bago ang laban kahapon, kapwa kumpiyansa sina Ancajas at Funai na magwawagi laban sa isa’t isa.

“My last fight – my sixth title defense against Alejandro Santiago Barrios – was a hard fight for me,” sabi ni Ancajas sa Fightnews.com. “This will be my seventh title defense. We are confident, but we respect the challenge in front of us. Funai is a good, tough fighter.”

Goodbye PBA? John Amores, tinanggalan na ng professional license!

Handa naman si Funai na makipagsabayan sa Filipino boxer para maagaw ang titulo nito at maiuwi sa Japan.

“I am extremely excited to put on a great performance. I have a strong heart, and I will be aggressive,” diin ni Funai. “I thank Ancajas for the opportunity, but I am here to become the new champion.”

“Ancajas is aggressive but I can beat him,” sabi ni Funai sa Philboxing.com. “I’m not like (Teiru) Kinoshita (whom Ancajas stopped in Brisbane in 2017). He’s a southpaw and I’m not. Our styles are different.”

Idinagdag ni Funai na batid niya ang kahinaan ni Ancajas at ipakikita niya ito sa sandali ng sagupaan.

“I know what Ancajas’ weaknesses are and I’ll expose them in our fight. I’ve fought Filipinos before. I lost to Rolly Lunas and I knocked out Ryan Bito and Warlito Parrenas,” ani Funai. “I wasn’t myself when I lost to Lunas but what I did to the others, I will do to Ancajas.”

Mas matangkad si Funai ng dalawang pulgada kay Ancajas pero binalewala ito ng Pinoy boxer.

“Mas mahirap kalaban yung maliit sa akin kasi madalas, nagkaka-headbutt,” diin ni Ancajas. “Matangkad si Funai sa akin kaya malamang hindi kami mag-aabot ng ulo. Mas madali tamaan ang bodega niya.”