Due to his continuous training at the Naval Base in Cavite City, International Boxing Federation super-flyweight titleholder Jerwin Ancajas has gotten stronger, and bigger.
Team manager and coach Joven Jimenez likens the 28-year-old Panabo, Davao del Norte champ to a “wrecking machine,” ready to destroy his foe once they fly to the United States to train late this month.
Ancajas (32-1-2 win-loss-draw record, with 22 knockouts) has bulked up since he started training, supported by the country’s Philippine Naval force during the lockdown in Cavite.
He spent his training sessions early this year in Dipolog City, the place of one of his benefactors Big Boss Cement owner Gilbert Cruz. But despite Ancajas’ bigger physique, Jimenez said his punching power and quick movement will even improve.
“We are maintaining Jerwin’s condition at 90 percent for the last two weeks. He’s ready anytime. He has already peaked, but we just want to hold on to it,” said Jimenez, noting that Ancajas’ present walking weight is 135 to 138 pounds.
Jimenez, however, assured there’s no problem for Ancajas reducing his weight when fight week comes.
“Tuluy-tuloy naman ang training at hindi pa naman panahon para magpapababa ng timbang. Madaling magpababa dahil ganu’n ang ginagawa namin palagi. Mayroon kami target date na dapat ganoon ang timbang niya,” Jimenez added.
“Once we develop his power and strength, his speed and reflexes will come up,” he added.
Ancajas’ fight was supposed to be against Mexican Jonathan Javier Rodriguez last November 2, but it was postponed by Top Rank due to visa issues. The second postponement came on April 11 because of the pandemic.
Top Rank, however, assured the super-flyweight king of a spot when boxing returns in Las Vegas. The condition was that Ancajas must already be in the US when the boxing “bubble” is finalized.
Despite the cancellation of his fight with Rodriguez, Ancajas, however, didn’t come out empty handed last year. Top Rank gave him a fight in Puebla, Mexico last December 7 as a co-main event of the Emanuel Navarrete-Francisco Horta bout for the World Boxing Organization super bantamweight bout.
He did not disappoint the whole Mexican crowd, as he delivered a sixth-round technical knockout win against Chilean Miguel Gonzalez for his eighth IBF title defense.