During ONE: Heroes of Honor on Friday evening, there was a special fan who sat in the crowd and cheered his heart out for the entire course of the evening.
It was none other than reigning IBF World Junior Bantamweight Champion Jerwin “Pretty Boy” Ancajas.
The 26-year-old pugilist — who owns a career record of 29 wins, 1 loss, and 1 draw — shared that this was his first time to watch a live mixed martial arts event. And he did not jinx his compatriots, as Team Lakay, the camp he was cheering on, went a perfect 3-0 for the night.
“Talagang unang-una ko ito manood ng MMA, dati sa TV lang. Ngayon, sobrang iba pala sa personal mo ito mapapanood lalo na nung laban ni Gina [Iniong]. Grabe yung sigaw ko. Tapos yung panalo rin ni Kevin [Belingon],” shared an animated Ancajas, who was invited to the event by good friend Nissi Icasiano.
“Sobrang tuwa ko na nanalo silang lahat.”
But the first-ever ONE Championship card he watched was not just a mixed martial arts event. Heroes of Honor marked the first time the promotion held the Super Series, ONE’s new project that promotes traditional martial arts.
After witnessing two kickboxing and two Muay Thai bouts, the 2017 PSA Athlete of the Year hopes that ONE eventually promotes boxing matches as well.
“Para sa akin, yung ONE Championship talagang malaki na. Para sa akin, maganda ito para sa boxing kasi kaunti na lang ang mga promoter,” he said.
“Para sa boxing, pag may ganito kalaking event, malaking tulong ito para sa Pilipinas.”
With his promotion, owned by Manny Pacquiao, having close ties with ONE, it won’t be a surprise if Ancajas one day headlines a Super Series boxing match co-promoted by ONE and MP Promotions.
