Ancajas gears up for 9th title defense in March

MANILA, Philippines – After two successful title defenses in 2019, Jerwin Ancajas looks forward to an even busier start to the new decade.

According to his chief trainer Joven Jimenez, Ancajas is set to dangle the International Boxing Federation super flyweight crown thrice next year, with the first fight calendared in March in the United States.

Against whom will be known early in January as MP (Manny Pacquiao) Promotions president Sean Gibbons, also an international matchmaker, is still looking at the most viable and most lucrative opponent for Ancajas.

Fresh off a 6th round knockout of Chilean challenger Miguel Gonzalez on Saturday, December 7 (Sunday, December 8, Philippine time) in Puebla City, Mexico, Ancajas is enjoying the holidays with his family at Survival Camp in Barangay Rodriguez, Magallanes, Cavite.

Aware of the coming fight, however, Ancajas is not letting himself go bloated by the numerous parties and occasions lined up.

Right after Christmas, Ancajas donned his jogging suits and started running again to kick off his physical preparations.

The body conditioning will go on until the first week of January, when Gibbons will likely announce Ancajas’ ninth title challenger.

A few days after their arrival from Mexico, Ancajas and Jimenez went on a Mindanao tour, where they visited Bukidnon, Cagayan de Oro, Iligan City, Dipolog City and Sindangan.

They returned to Manila on December 20 to receive an award of recognition from the Philippine Navy Reserve Command, where Ancajas holds the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer.

As part of giving back to his supporters, Ancajas, together with Jimenez, held a boxing tournament featuring Survival Camp boxers at the Rodriguez covered basketball court, where they later distributed goods and gifts.

It’s been a blessed 2019 for Ancajas as he also stopped Japanese challenger Ryuichi Funai after the 6th round on his seventh title defense in Stockton, California, in May.

As a result, Ancajas received the prestigious Jersey Joe Walcott Award from the IBF in its 36th annual convention, the first Filipino boxer to do so, in Macau, also in May.

Ancajas wants to do even better in 2020. – Rappler.com