By Nick Giongco
A meeting with Pope Francis will be the main agenda of world super-flyweight king Jerwin Ancajas when he travels to Italy late this month.
Sean Gibbons, Ancajas’ American agent, told the Bulletin that they are spending some time in Rome as they are attending the International Boxing Federation convention in the Alpine resort town of Saint Vincent from May 28 to June 3.
“Jerwin is excited to go to Rome being a devout Catholic,” said Gibbons, who is also looking forward to the trip to Italy being a Catholic himself.
Ancajas and Gibbons will also be joined by Joven Jimenez, who serves as the world champion’s chief trainer and manager.
The Italian trip will come after Ancajas’ mandatory defense of the IBF 115-lb crown against Jonas Sultan on May 26 at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California, the first all-Filipino world title match in almost a century.
Ancajas and his team are leaving for Los Angeles on Tuesday.
Ancajas is making the fifth defense of the title after repulsing three challengers in 2017. Last February in Corpus Christi, Texas, Ancajas stopped Israel Gonzalez of Mexico.
If Ancajas gets past Sultan, Gibbons is looking at two more fights in 2018 for the fighter being hailed as Manny Pacquiao’s successor.
“A fight in August or September and a Christmas fight are down the road for Jerwin,” said Gibbons.
Gibbons, who looks like the Toy Story main character Woody, is in the country to preside over another key fight involving London Olympian Mark Anthony Barriga, who faces Gabriel Mendoza of Colombia in an IBF minimumweight title eliminator set this Sunday at the SM North Edsa.
