Reedy Ancajas ready to dangle title vs Funai

STOCKTON, USA – His jaw line now prominent and his cheeks hollow, Jerwin Ancajas looks every inch on a crash diet to make weight.

Ancajas is indeed in the process of shedding off excess pounds for his seventh title defense of the International Boxing Federation super flyweight crown against Japanese Ryuichi Funai at Stockton Arena on Saturday, May 4 (Sunday, May 5, Philippine time).

But certainly he is in no hurry.

With just a few days left before the fight, Ancajas is treading a steady line toward reaching the 115-pound limit.

Guided by a detailed meal chart prepared for him by nutritionist Jeaneth Aro, who is slated to arrive Tuesday from Manila, Ancajas weighed in at 118.6 pounds after his light 15-round workout at Flores Gym here.

Hours earlier, Ancajas did his run and played basketball at the Sonata Circle neighborhood where he and his training team headed by Joven Jimenez have been holed up since arriving in the United States from their Marine Base training camp in Ternate, Cavite, on April 23.

The hard work over and with Ancajas ready to impress in his fourth straight fight in the USA, Jimenez’s focus is for his prized ward to breeze through the official weigh-in on Friday.

Basically, Ancajas and Jimenez are just sweating it out, rehearsing the fight plan they have prepared for Ryuichi, with the work load getting lighter every day.

Fact is, Jimenez instructed unbeaten boxer Jerald Daniega (13-0, 10 knockouts) to do some rounds of mitts play with Ancajas, before letting ring announcer Mark Lontayao experience the feeling of sharing the canvas with the world’s longest reigning 118-pound champion.

Though he said Ancajas is ready to tangle with Funai right away, Jimenez insisted Ancajas’ fitness is just hovering at 100%.

Jimenez wants Ancajas to hit optimum form right when the bell rings for the 12-rounder with Funai, who checked in at University Plaza Waterfront Hotel on Sunday.

It was when Ancajas, who was a heavy 132-pounder when training camp began, was tapering off by hitting the heavy bag that Lontayao noticed his decreased weight.

“Your (boxing) leggings are already loose, champ,” said Lontayao, telling Filipino sportswriters it was still tight two weeks ago.

Ancajas flashed a grin as he remained in jovial mood at a stage when boxers usually get irritable because of little or no food intake at all to hasten weight reduction.

He isn’t starving this time. – Rappler.com