The International Boxing Federation (IBF) super flyweight title fight between Jerwin Ancajas and fellow Filipino Jonas Sultan slated for May 26 (May 27 in Manila) will now be held in Fresno, California.
According to matchmaker Sean Gibbons, the change in venue from Las Vegas was prompted by the Memorial Day Weekend in the United States which will coincide with the bout.
Fresno is strategically located between Los Angeles and San Francisco, two major cities that are home to thousands of Filipino immigrants who are expected to come in droves to watch the first world title fight between two Filipinos in 93 years.
"Fresno was the only place with a venue and a good deal for the fight," Gibbons told Renz Ongkiko of ESPN5 in a message.
The likely venue for the fight is the 11,000-seater Selland Arena, which opened in 1966 hosted the 1996 WWE Royal Rumble along with numerous other concerts featuring acts like the Grateful Dead, Elvis Presley, Elton John and Aerosmith.
Ancajas will be making the fifth defense of his IBF belt. He made his U.S. debut last February in his last title defense, an impressive 10th-round TKO of Israel Gonzalez in Corpus Christi, Texas. Sultan, the IBF's mandatory challenger, earned the right to take a crack at Ancajas by upsetting two-division champion John Riel Casimero in Cebu in September last year.
On the undercard of Ancajas-Sultan is another super flyweight title fight with Khalid Yafai defending his WBA strap against David Carmona. The winners of both title fights will be set up for a unification bout later this year. The two bouts will air live on free TV on ESPN5.