Joven Jimenez, the seasoned manager and trainer who has guided Jerwin Ancajas throughout his career, has expressed his willingness to step aside and allow the former world champion to have a new mentor for his future fights.
In the aftermath of Ancajas’ ninth-round loss to Takuma Inoue in a world bantamweight title bout, Jimenez not only consoled his fighter, but also encouraged him to pick himself up, going so far as to offer the option of hiring a new coach.
“Subukan natin iba mag-handle sayo. Pag usapan natin ‘yan. Kahit wala ako sayo, walang problem ‘yan. Basta nandiyan pa rin ako para sayo,” said Jimenez, a former national boxer who played a pivotal role in honing Ancajas to a long reign as IBF super flyweight champion
The duo successfully defended the title nine times together, facing both triumphs and setbacks, such as back-to-back losses to Fernando Daniel Martinez in 2022.
Jimenez made the decision for his ward to move up to a more comfortable weight, leading to the title fight against Inoue after a convincing victory over Wilner Soto of Colombia with a fifth-round knockout.
“Hindi na akma ‘yung turo ko sayo. Iba na, ilang laban na. Pero importante taas noo. Ayoko mababa ‘yung naramdaman mo,” Jimenez conveyed to Ancajas, emphasizing the importance of maintaining his pride despite the challenges.
Ancajas even mentioned the possibility of enlisting the expertise of Freddie Roach, the long-time mentor of eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao, for his future training sessions.
This defeat marked the first time Ancajas was stopped in four losses out of 40 fights. His impressive record includes 34 victories, 23 of them by stoppage, and two draws.
Despite being 32 years old, Ancajas is still considered to be at the peak of his form as he expressed his intention to take a brief rest before returning to training.
“Pahinga lang muna. Spend time with my family,” Ancajas told Homer Sayson of Spin. PH.
Sean Gibbons, representing Ancajas’ promotional outfit, MP Promotions, mentioned that they are contemplating a move to the 122-pound weight class, where Ancajas might find a more comfortable fit.