World Championship Doubleheader to be Streamed Live and Exclusively on ESPN +
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FRESNO, Calif. (April 30, 2018) – Two of the world’s most dynamic 115-pound talents — on a collision course to a potential title unification bout — will take center stage at the Save Mart Center on the first Top Rank on ESPN world championship card on ESPN+, Saturday, May 26 at 9:30 p.m. ET.
Filipino standout Jerwin ‘Pretty Boy’ Ancajas will defend the International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior bantamweight world title in the main event against countryman Jonas Sultan. It marks the first world title bout featuring two Filipino fighters in 93 years, when Pancho Villa defended the world flyweight title against Clever Sencio on May 2, 1925.
In the co-feature, Great Britain’s Kal Yafai will make the third defense of his World Boxing Association (WBA) super flyweight title against David Carmona. Soon-to-be announced undercard bouts, including appearances by welterweight contender Jose Benavidez and Central Valley products Bryan Lua and Isidro Ochoa, will be shown on ESPN+ starting at 6:30 p.m. ET.
The Ancajas vs. Sultan / Yafai vs. Carmona world championship doubleheader will be streamed live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ — the first-ever multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International group and ESPN. ESPN+ is available to all fans on the ESPN App and ESPN.com.
Fans can watch Ancajas vs. Sultan / Yafai vs. Carmona, hundreds of other boxing matches per year, other Top Rank on ESPN content and thousands of other live events by subscribing to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year). To subscribe, fans simply download or open the ESPN App or visit ESPNPlus.com and subscribe. Fans can stream on the ESPN App on mobile and TV-connected devices and on ESPN.com.
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions, Big Al Presents, Joven Sports, and Matchroom Boxing USA, special ticket on-sale information will be announced soon.
“I am so glad and very grateful that I was given an opportunity to fight Jonas Sultan,” Ancajas said. “We are given a chance to display our talents on a world stage, two Filipinos fighting for a world title. This is history, and our names will be linked forever.”
“I can’t wait to make my U.S. debut. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do since I laced them up,” Yafai said. “This is the right time to do it. Everyone wants to fight in America at some stage in their career, and this is the right moment for me to announce myself in the States. I know people will talk about the Jerwin Ancajas fight, of course, but Carmona is the man in front of me, and he’s all I’m thinking about. I have to look good against Carmona, but I know that the Ancajas fight is something that can happen down the line in the States or in England.”
Ancajas (27-1-1,19 KOs), from Barangay Ramirez, Magallanes, Cavite, Philippines, will be making the fifth defense of the world title he won on Sept. 3, 2016 in Taguig City, Philippines, when he knocked down the previously undefeated McJoe Arroyo in the eighth round en route to a unanimous decision. Ancajas made his U.S. and Top Rank debut as the co-feature to the Gilberto Ramirez vs. Habib Ahmed bout on a Top Rank on ESPN card, Feb. 3 in Corpus Christi, Texas. On that night, Ancajas steamrolled Israel Gonzalez, knocking him down three times and scoring a 10th-round TKO.
One of the most devastating punchers in the lighter weight classes, Ancajas is 15-0 with 14 knockouts since his only loss, a 10-round majority decision to Mark Geraldo on March 17, 2012. He has defended his title in Australia, Northern Ireland, and Macao, a world traveler intent on staking his claim as the top fighter in the loaded 115-pound weight class.
Sultan (14-3, 9 KOs), ranked No. 1 by the IBF, is coming off the biggest victory of his career, when he knocked out former two-division champion John Riel Casimero on Sept. 16, 2017 in Cebu City, Philippines. He has won five in a row, four by knockout, since a 10-round unanimous decision loss to Go Onaga on Nov. 15, 2015. A native of Tampilisan, Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines, Sultan lost two split decisions in his first six pro fights. Like Ancajas, he has won several fights in his opponents’ home countries, including a 2016 second-round TKO over Makazole Tete in East London, South Africa.
Yafai (23-0, 14 KOs), from Birmingham, England, turned pro in 2012 following an accomplished amateur career, winning eight fights in his first eight months in the paid ranks. On March 21, 2014, he stopped Yaqub Kareem in the third round to win the vacant Commonwealth super flyweight title. Yafai won the British super flyweight title in March 2016 and soon set his sights on a world crown.
On Dec. 10, 2016, Yafai dominated Luis Concepcion via unanimous decision, winning the WBA belt and becoming Birmingham’s first world champion in 109 years. In his most recent title defense, Yafai turned back a tough challenge from Sho Ishida, winning a unanimous decision by scores of 118-110 and 116-112 (2x).
Carmona (21-5-5, 9 KOs), from Mexico City, will be making his third attempt at a world title at 115 pounds. In 2013, he fell to longtime WBO champion Omar Narvaez via seventh-round TKO. And, in 2016, he dropped a unanimous decision to pound-for-pound elite Naoya Inoue, who’d knocked out Narvaez to win the title. On March 10, 2017, he lost a disputed unanimous decision to former WBC super flyweight champion Carlos Cuadras. In his last bout, on March 2 of this year, he scored a fourth-round TKO over Jesus Iribe in Mexico City.
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Weightclass: Junior Bantamweight
32wins
1losses
2draws
22kos
Weightclass: Bantamweight
14wins
3losses
0draws
9kos
"I am happy to defend my title, not only for my team, but for the Filipino people as well."
Jerwin Ancajas"It was the best performance of my career, and it is with great pride that I fought in such an historic fight. I look forward to my next fight."
Jerwin Ancajas"I used my amateur experience and I was able to adjust as the fight went on."
Jerwin Ancajas"I'm going to sit down with my team, sit down with my promoter, Eddie Hearn, and we'll see what it's about. He's always got big plans for me, and earn with Hearn, baby!"
Kal Yafai"It was a great fight for the fans at home. I'm sure they enjoyed it. What a way to start my U.S. debut. I put on a show and all that."
Kal Yafai“I am very happy because he is a great, undefeated fighter. He didn’t hurt me at the end of the fight. I went out there and did my best and got the win.”
John Moralde“It means a lot for me for all my fans to make it out here, for the Central Valley to show their support like that. There were some times in the rounds where he caught me with some good punches, but I still managed to go out there and execute and stick to the game plan and come out with the victory.”
Isidoro Ochoa“In the third round, I saw he was hurt, but his chin is very good. Like I said, he was a very good opponent.”
Isidoro Ochoa“I felt great out there. I showcased my power once again, used my jab. He was a tough opponent. I give him my respects. He got up from the first and second knockdowns. He had nothing for me, to be honest.”
Bryan Lua“Corral has gone the distance with a lot of good fighters and champions. I don’t want to say too much against him. I don’t think he was that ready, and the three rounds were easy for me.”
Alexander Besputin“I am so glad and very grateful that I was given an opportunity to fight Jonas Sultan. We are given a chance to display our talents on a world stage, two Filipinos fighting for a world title. This is history, and our names will be linked forever.”
"My goal is to entertain the crowd. For my fans, the Filipino community here, I'm looking forward to this fight."
"I'm proud that my dream has come true. All of my sacrifices paid off."
"Sultan is hungry for a world title fight, to prove he is the best. I am confident, but not overconfident, because he's also Filipino. We are expecting a good fight for the fans."
"There are many great fighters in the Philippines, and I am happy that Jonas and myself can share this big stage. We are making history, and I am glad that we can fight to see who is the best."
Jerwin Ancajas“I can't wait to make my U.S. debut. It's something I've always wanted to do since I laced them up. This is the right time to do it. Everyone wants to fight in America at some stage in their career, and this is the right moment for me to announce myself in the States. I know people will talk about the Jerwin Ancajas fight, of course, but Carmona is the man in front of me, and he's all I'm thinking about. I have to look good against Carmona, but I know that the Ancajas fight is something that can happen down the line in the States or in England.”
"It was the right time in my career {to make my American debut}. I had the opportunity, to not only to fight in the U.S., but fight on a Top Rank card. Top Rank is a very respected promoter, and my promoter, Eddie Hearn, thought it was the best opportunity for me. So, that's what we did."
"At this moment, I don't really care about {Ancajas-Sultan} because I have a job to do myself. I'm not looking past this fight. After my fight, I'll obviously watch the fight if I'm not too tired. I always concentrate on what I have in front of me."
"There are plenty of great fighters at 115 pounds. Jonas Sultan is a great fighter, and he can't be written off on Saturday night. Jerwin is a great fighter also, who I expect to win on Saturday."
Kal Yafai"For me, I'm really proud for this fight because I am the one fighting for a championship that is history-making in the Philippines. I am very grateful that I am the one. This is my dream in life, to fight for the world championship."
"This is very good for me because this is an important opportunity. Jerwin is a good fighter. He has speed and power. I trained hard. I have a really good plan for this fight."
Jonas Sultan"My first three opponents, I tried to hit them with everything, and they went in survival mode for the rest of the four rounds. With my last fight (a first-round KO), I just took my time, let him in, and caught him with a left hook."
"It's like I'll be fighting in my backyard. All the people that have been supporting me from Madera, Fresno, and the entire Central Valley will be there. I'm just excited to put on a show."
"Now that I'm training with Jose Ramirez and {trainer} Robert Garcia in Riverside, it motivates me more to showcase my talent here, so one day I can be the main event or the co-main event with Jose."
Bryan Lua"I'm really excited for this. It's been my dream since I was little to fight in big arenas like the Save Mart Center. All of my family and friends in Fresno will be able to make it here."
"Since Jose Ramirez turned pro, I feel like it's opened the doors for a lot of Central Valley fighters. There is really good talent here in the Central Valley. Everyone knows Fresno as this really bad neighborhood, but deep down inside Fresno, there are a bunch of kids who want to do something with their lives. Boxing pushes people to accomplish their dreams."
Isidoro Ochoa