Ancajas defers move to bantam

MANILA, Philippines — IBF superflyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas is in no hurry to move up to the bantamweight division even as some quarters are calling for him to leave the 115-pound class where he has reigned since 2016 and made eight successful defenses. Ancajas is now waiting for an appointment to be interviewed for a visa by the US Embassy and once he’s cleared to depart, the plan is to fight Mexico’s Jonathan Rodriguez in his twice-postponed ninth title defense in Las Vegas within three or four weeks from arrival.

Ancajas was scheduled for a visa interview last Aug. 17 but it was cancelled when Metro Manila was placed under MECQ. “Naghihintay kami ng appointment,” said Ancajas’ trainer/manager Joven Jimenez yesterday. “Sana makakuha na si Jerwin ng visa. Pray lang kami palagi. Excited si Jerwin makaalis. Si Jerwin nasa 90 percent ngayon. Kung confirmed ang alis namin, abutin agad ng 95 percent sa peak. Maintain na lang pagdating sa US kaya in 3-4 weeks, laban na agad.”

Jimenez said Ancajas hasn’t slacked off from training during the pandemic. Last Friday, he went six furious rounds with sparmates Daniel Lim, John Mark Alimane, Angelo Beltran, Alexis Abilar and George Nuez in a makeshift ring at the Heracleo Alano Philippine Fleet Naval Base in Sangley Point, Cavite. Ancajas took on each sparmate for one round except Lim who went two. The next day, he did circuit training and skipped rope for 1 1/2 hours. It was rest day last Sunday then Ancajas was back bagging and punching mitts on Monday. Ancajas will spar again on Friday.

Jimenez dismissed suggestions from some boxing experts that Ancajas should abandon the superflyweight class because he has overstayed without securing a chance to unify the championship. But Jimenez said what’s in the horizon depends on MP Promotions head Sean Gibbons’ direction. “Nag-depende kami lahat kay Sir Sean,” he said. “Sa ngayon, kuhang kuha ni Jerwin ang 115 pounds na hindi siya nahirapan. Gusto lang ni Jerwin maka-unify sa 115. Pero sabi ni Jerwin, depende sa akin at kay Sir Sean. Sa Mexico (last December), nakain pa siya kahit timbangan na susunod na araw. Hindi kami nagpapabaya sa timbang at sa ensayo. Naka-record araw-araw ang timbang ni Jerwin para monitor namin kahit kakatapos lang ng laban.”

Jimenez said Ancajas remains focused to stay on top. “Bihira makarating na ganitong sitwasyon kaya hindi namin sasayangin ang pagkakataon at bigay ng Panginoon itong lahat,” he said. “Kahit ano mangyari, palagi kami nanalangin sa Panginoon. Hindi namin pinababayaan si Jerwin. Nandito ako palagi kasama niya. Ayaw namin sayangin ang mga tulong ginagawa ni Sir Sean at Top Rank.” Jimenez said he suspects the reason why some experts are urging Ancajas to move up in weight is because they think he’s finding it difficult to stay in the superflyweight class. “Nakikita siguro nila na malaki si Jerwin but ‘di nila alam madali kunin niya ang 115,” said Jimenez.