MANILA, Philippines – Jerwin Ancajas’ homecoming ended in a somewhat unsatisfying victory as he secured a disqualification win over Thailand’s Sukpraserd Ponpitak in their scheduled 10-round featherweight bout on Sunday at the Mandaluyong City College Gym. Part of the “Blow-By-Blow” boxing series, the fight was marred by repeated fouls from the Thai veteran, ultimately leading to an abrupt stoppage in the fifth round.

Ancajas, the former IBF junior bantamweight titleholder, wasted no time asserting himself. The Filipino southpaw dropped Ponpitak early in the first round with a crisp right hook, catching the Thai cold and setting the tempo for the rest of the contest. While Ponpitak recovered from the knockdown, Ancajas continued to find his rhythm, landing a series of clean combinations as he took command of the fight.

However, what began as a dominant performance from Ancajas soon turned into an ugly affair. Ponpitak, at 36 years old and clearly outclassed, resorted to roughhouse tactics. In the third round, the Thai was warned for excessive holding and sweeping Ancajas to the canvas, actions that cost him a point deduction. Despite the warnings, Ponpitak persisted in using illegal moves, repeatedly clinching and pushing Ancajas to the ground.

In the fifth round, after Ponpitak once again slammed Ancajas into the corner, the referee had seen enough and disqualified the Thai for his repeated infractions, awarding Ancajas a victory via disqualification.

It was a bittersweet triumph for Ancajas, who was fighting in front of his home crowd for the first time since his February loss to Takuma Inoue (20-1, 5 KO) in a WBA bantamweight title challenge. The disqualification win pushes his record to 35-4-2 (23 KOs), but the nature of the victory left many in attendance wishing for a more decisive conclusion. Ponpitak, whose rough tactics overshadowed what could have been a more competitive fight, drops to 30-20 (20 KOs).

Despite the less-than-ideal ending, Ancajas still showcased the sharpness and power that made him a champion. His precise combinations and ring generalship were on full display, even if the fight’s premature conclusion robbed him of a potential knockout.

With this win under his belt, Ancajas can now refocus on his path back to world title contention. Whether he remains at featherweight or decides to move back down to junior bantamweight, the “Pretty Boy” still has plenty of fight left in him. As he continues to rebuild after recent setbacks, Ancajas remains a dangerous presence in any division he chooses to campaign in.