ESPN and Top Rank promotions present an action filled doubleheader featuring a junior bantamweight championship main event between IBF titlist Jerwin Ancajas and challenger Jonas Sultan, and Kal Yafai vs. David Carmona as the co-main, the event will live stream online through ESPN+ on May 26. The fights will take place at the Save Mart Arena, Fresno, California.
Ancajas (27-1-1,19 KOs), currently holds the IBF 115 pound world title, and he is managed by legendary Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao and promoted by Bob Arum’s Top Rank promotions. He comes from the tough area of Cavite in the Philippines and at only 26 years old he is quickly becoming a rising star in the lower weight divisions. He made noise in 2016 when he defeated previously undefeated McJoe Arroyo of Puerto Rico in an upset for the IBF belt, since winning the title he has defended it four times against credible tough opponents. Tonight he will try and defend it a 5th time against fellow countryman Jonas Sultan.
Sultan (14-3, 9 KOs), comes from Cebu, Philippines and is currently ranked number 1 by the IBF. His best win was in 2017 wwhen he knocked out former two-division world champion John Riel Casimero. This will be the biggest fight of his young career, limited in experience he will try to become a world champion against the betting odds.
Ancajas vs. Sultan also marks the first world title fight featuring two Filipino boxers in 93 years, the last time two Filipinos fought each other for a world title it was on May 2, 1925 when Pancho Villa defended his world flyweight championship against Clever Sencio.
The co-main event of the ESPN+ live stream broadcast features British standout Kal Yafai (23-0, 14 KOs) in his USA debut defending his WBA super-flyweight title against David Carmona (21-5-5, 9 KOs) of Mexico City.
Yafai, 28, won the WBA belt when he defeated Luis Concepcion for the vacant title in 2016, he has since defended his belt twice in the UK and is excited to fight on US soil for the very first time. He wants to impressive the American friends with a sensational effort and win tonight in California.
A future unification showdown between the winner of Ancajas vs. Sultan and Yafai vs. Carmona could be on the horizon after tonight.
The Ancajas vs. Sultan and Yafai vs. Carmona world championship doubleheader will be streamed live online and exclusively on ESPN+ starting at 6:30 PM ET/PT on May 26, 2018.
