Ancajas batters Funai, forces 7th-round stoppage

MANILA, Philippines – IBF junior bantamweight champion Jerwin Ancajas pummeled Japan's Ryuichi Funai in seven rounds to retain his title Sunday at the Stockton Arena in Stockton, California.

The 27-year-old Ancajas was never in trouble in the lopsided fight wherein he battered the tough Funai with punches from all angles, including during a noteworthy second round where he uncorked several power blows on his challenger.

He clipped Funai with several shots by the end of the sixth round, and the ringside doctor ruled out that the challenger is no longer fit to continue before the seventh round could commence.

The official time of the stoppage is 0:01 of Round 7.

“Nagulat din ako kay Funai. Ang dami nang malalakas na suntok ang binitiwan ko sa kanya pero kinaya niya. Talagang matibay siya,” Ancajas said after the fight.

The pride of Magallanes, Cavite thus redeemed himself from a lackluster outing in his last fight, against Mexican Alejandro Santiago Barrios, who held him to a split draw.

Ancajas improved to 31-1-2, with 21 knockouts, while Funai dropped to 31-8, with 22 knockouts.