Jerwin Ancajas has held the IBF junior bantamweight title since 2016 and will look to defend it for the eighth consecutive time when he takes on Jonathan Javier Rodriguez on Saturday as the co-featured attraction to the Miguel Berchelt-Jason Sosa fight at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif.

Ancajas (31-1-2, 21 KOs) is excited to use the national platform that’ll be provided via ESPN to show his skills and make statement as he eyes for a unification fight in 2020.

“I’m expecting this fight to be a challenge. Rodriguez is a traditional Mexican fighter who comes forward to fight. His heart is there. I’m sure he is prepared and will show his best,” Ancajas told BoxingScene.com. “I’m expecting this fight to be a challenge. I will do my best to put on a big fight for bigger things to come.”

The 115-pound Filipino fighter still plans on campaigning in the division. He said that although he’s a 10-year pro at 27 years-old, making the junior bantamweight limit is not an issue.

Ancajas is looking to have a shot at a unification fight between titleholders Kazuto Ioka (WBO) Khalid Yafai (WBA) and pound-for-pound WBC champion Juan Francisco Estrada.

“The plan is to win and unify the titles. We are looking for Estrada,” said Ancajas. “For me, I still want to remain at 115 and face the best of the best in this weight class. I want to take risks and beat the champions.”

An immediate fight between Ancajas and Estrada seems unlikely, especially since Estrada has his sights set on Matchroom stablemate Yafai. Estrada co-promoter Fernando Beltran was planning for a December fight between them until Estrada experienced hand pain that forced a delay into the first quarter of 2020.

Ancajas can instead try his hand against name and game former champions in Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, Roman Gonzalez and Carlos Cuadras.

But first, he must get through Rodriguez (21-1, 15 KOs), a 24-year-old fighting for the first time outside of Mexico. Rodriguez is coming off a TKO win in June against Felipe Orucuta, who lost by decision to the hard-hitting Estrada in 2018.

“Rodriguez was really impressive in his last fight,” said Ancajas. “We’ve prepared hard for this fight. As a fighter, it is my job to put on a good fight and make it entertaining.”

Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist and member of the Boxing Writers Assn. of America since 2011. He has written for the likes of the Guardian, USA Today, Philadelphia Inquirer, Men’s Health and NFL.com and currently does TV commentary for combat sports programming that airs on Fox Sports. He can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan or via email at manouk.akopyan@gmail.com.