AJ Paciones challenges Erick Rosa for world title showdown

AJ Paciones | Photo from Shadow Entertainment

CEBU CITY, Philippines— Unbeaten Cebuano boxing prospect Arvin Jhon “AJ” Paciones has set his sights on former World Boxing Association (WBA) gold light flyweight champion Erick Rosa, calling out the Dominican standout for a world title clash.

Paciones, a rising star hailing from Barangay Santa Cruz, Cebu City, bolstered his case for a title shot with a commanding unanimous decision victory over Chinese contender Xiang Li on December 26 in Bangkok, Thailand. The 19-year-old’s dominant performance in 12 rounds marked his third career win over the championship distance.

In a post-fight interview, Paciones who is No. 2 in the WBA world light flyweight rankings, confidently issued his challenge to Rosa, pledging to deliver an exciting and competitive fight.

READ: AJ Paciones dominates Chinese foe to retain WBA title in Thailand

“Next year, hopefully, I can fight against Erick Rosa. I was supposed to face you this year, but hopefully, you give me a chance next year,” Paciones said.

“I promise to give you a good fight. I’m 19 years old, and I want to test myself against you,” he added.

READ: AJ Paciones, Vietnam-based Cebuano boxer, bags WBA Asia light flyweight title

UNANIMOUS DECISION WIN

The judges scored the December 26 bout in Paciones’ favor, with tallies of 119-109, 119-109, and 120-108, for a unanimous decision win, extending his undefeated record to 10 wins, including five knockouts.

Rosa, 24, gained recognition among Filipino boxing fans in 2021 when he edged out former world champion Vic “Vicious” Saludar for the WBA minimumweight title in a closely contested bout held in the Dominican Republic. Despite suffering a knockdown in the 10th round, Rosa prevailed via split decision.

READ: AJ Paciones set to defend WBA regional title vs. Chinese in Thailand

However, the bout was marred by controversy after the fight’s promoter initially failed to pay Saludar the agreed-upon $35,000 purse, leaving Saludar with only $13,000. The remaining amount was eventually settled later.

Rosa, who remains undefeated in eight fights with two knockouts, has since moved up to the light flyweight division and is considered a top contender. Notably, Rosa has never fought outside his home country. A planned world title bout against Thammanoon Niyomtrong in 2023 was canceled after both camps failed to agree on a neutral venue.

The potential showdown between Paciones and Rosa promises to be a must-watch battle of youth and skill.