Pastor prays over Jerwin Ancajas

A 27-year-old Mexican-American pastor Andrew Segura entered IBF superflyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas’ lockerroom to deliver a stirring prayer before his fight against Jonas Sultan at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California, last Saturday.

Segura’s prayer called for God to protect Ancajas in the ring and lead him to victory in praise of the Lord. Ancajas’ team broke out in applause after Segura’s fiery delivery. Segura was accompanied to the lockerroom by one of Ancajas’ backers Mike Salvador, consultant to the Secretary of National Defense Delfin Lorenzana. 

Segura, who is based in Fresno, said he established his Christian ministry The Resort in 2016 with the goal of spreading the gospel all over the world. In 2015, he lived four months in the Philippines and was inspired to form his ministry. Segura said he now visits the Philippines once every two months and plans to build a school for underprivileged children.

Segura showed up to watch Ancajas’ fight wearing a Barong Tagalog which a friend from Cagayan de Oro gave him. It was his first experience to witness boxing live. He said he has visited different provinces in the Philippines. Although the Filipino community is less than two percent of the Fresno population, Segura is committed to deepening his relationship with Filipinos in the city.

Before Ancajas’ fight, Fil-Am teenager Nathan Fasching sang the National Anthem in the ring. His microphone went on and off while he sang. But Fasching, 17, kept his composure and sang through the technical difficulty. What was inspiring was how the Filipino crowd in the audience joined in the singing to make up for the microphone fiasco so even as the loud speaker went silent intermittently, the singing reverberated throughout the Save Mart Center.

Top Rank CEO Bob Arum, who was at ringside, was overhead by Filipino boxing judge Rey Danseco as saying he was impressed by the display of Filipino spirit in carrying out the singing of the National Anthem despite the microphone breakdown.

Danseco, 45, was contracted to judge the WBA superflyweight title fight between champion Khalid Yafai of the UK and Mexican David Carmona. Danseco explained that since Carmona failed to make weight, the throne would have been declared vacant if he won. Carmona scaled 118.6 pounds, way over the limit of 115. Since Yafai won by a stoppage before the start of the eighth round, it was considered a successful title defense.

Danseco said Ancajas fought Sultan like he was a car in second gear. “He didn’t move up to first gear, probably because of Sultan’s style which was wild,” he said. “I don’t think Jerwin wanted to risk getting butted if he engaged. On the other hand, Yafai was quite aggressive. That was because Carmona was an easy target. If ever Ancajas and Yafai fight, I’m sure we’ll see a different animal in Ancajas. He won’t fight Yafai like he fought Sultan for sure.”

Danseco lives in San Francisco and his day job is working for a finance company overseeing the maintenance of buildings. He is a licensed WBC boxing judge but is allowed to work title fights of any organization if in his home state of California. Danseco and Jonathan Davis, 68, are the only Filipino international boxing judges in California.