JAYSON Mama faces a tough assignment in Mexico as he takes on ex-world champion Angel Ayala in a 10-round bout Friday, May 22, 2026 (PH time), at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City.
Mama, a one-time world title challenger, enters the fight as a huge underdog against Ayala, one of the top-rated fighters in the flyweight division.
The Filipino boxer is trying to work his way back up the ladder after a series of roadblocks in the biggest fights of his career.
Mama was on his way up when he earned a world title shot in 2021. The 28-year-old from General Santos City challenged International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight titleholder Sunny Edwards in Dubai but lost by unanimous decision.
In another fight that could have boosted his title hopes, Mama lost to Juan Carlos Camacho by controversial split decision in a World Boxing Organization (NABO) flyweight title fight in Puerto Rico in 2024.
Mama’s most recent loss was a fifth-round stoppage at the hands of Ricardo Malajika in an International Boxing Organization (IBO) super-flyweight title bout in South Africa last year.
Meanwhile, the 26-year-old Ayala failed to retain his IBF flyweight strap following a 12th-round technical knockout defeat to Masamichi Yabuki last year in Japan.
In 2024, Ayala won the IBF belt via a sixth-round knockout of Filipino Dave Apolinario in Mexico. However, his reign was short-lived as he lost his belt in his first title defense.
Ayala is still ranked No. 5 by the World Boxing Council (WBC) and No. 13 by the WBO in the flyweight division.
Mama has a win-loss-draw record of 21-3-1 with 10 knockouts, while Ayala is 18-1 with eight knockouts. / EKA
