Jerwin Ancajas signs six-fight deal with Top Rank

IBF super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas of the Philippines was already set to make his U.S. debut on February 3, when he defends against Israel Gonzalez on a Top Rank ESPN card, and now ESPN reports that the fighter has signed a six-fight deal with the promotional giant.

That means it’s unlikely we’ll see Ancajas (28-1-1, 19 KO) mix it up with the other super flyweights we’ve seen featured on HBO — and will be featured again, on February 24 — but it does mean we’ll see more of him going forward, so long as he keeps on winning.

Ancajas, 25, has become a force in the division, winning 15 fights in a row, and stopping 14 of those opponents, with only McJoe Arroyo going the distance in September 2016.

His first fight with Top Rank figures to be something closer to a showcase than anything, as Gonzalez (21-1, 8 KO) hasn’t faced serious competition and in many respects probably doesn’t deserve the title fight in the first place.

But that makes sense, especially if they’re going to keep featuring him. Super flyweights are now main eventing HBO shows in the States, so Ancajas becoming an ESPN headliner is nowhere near as daunting a prospect as it might have been before, and Top Rank needs further reliable main event guys for these shows.

Bob Arum sees real potential in Ancajas becoming an attraction in this changing landscape:

"He's a very, very exciting fighter. He's all action. He could really become an attraction. Am I definite about that? No, but there's potential for him to become a major attraction, at least at the level or even higher of a Nonito Donaire — that type of attraction."

And Arum is right — for once, he’s really not exaggerating at all, as he’s being realistic but sees in Ancajas the style and in-ring personality to become a noteworthy fighter.