By REYNALD MAGALLON
Jerwin Ancajas began his campaign at the featherweight division in style, forcing opponent Ruben Tostado Garcia to quit on his stool at the start of the fifth round at the Hipodromo Caliente in Tijuana, Mexico on Sunday (Manila time).
The 34-year-old former world champion displayed the new-found firepower and knocked down the hometown bet twice before pummeling him with wicked body shots that convinced Tostado’s corner to call a halt to their fight initially scheduled for eight rounds.
Ancajas improved to a 38-4-1 record with 25 knockouts while Tostado dropped to a 28-17-1 slate.
A replacement to Ancajas’ initial opponent Rafael Rosas Ramirez, Tostado immediately felt the hard punches from the Filipino. The 34-year-old Ancajas caught the Mexican with a well-placed left straight, knocking him down at the 29 second mark of the first round.
Determined to make up for the first round knockdown, Tostado put on the pressure against Ancajas in the second frame, only for the Filipino to drill a vicious right to the body
That stopped the charge for Tostado as Ancajas focused on wearing him down through the body before landing another clean uppercut, followed up by another left straight.
Tostado found himself down on the canvas in the fourth after Ancajas unloaded a right to the body and a left straight to the head. The Mexican managed to beat the count just as the closing bell rang but his corner decided to stop the fight anyway after that round.
