Ancajas trains in ideal conditions for either Marin or Gonzalez

MANILA, Philippines – A serene, scenic, secured place with all the facilities needed for training.

This is how International Boxing Federation super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas and chief trainer Joven Jimenez described the Philippine Naval Education and Training Command (PNETC) in San Antonio, Zambales.

“It’s really ideal for training,” the longtime partners told sportswriters on Monday, August 19, after Ancajas’ donning ceremonies at the Philippine Navy headquarters in Manila.

“We could not ask for more. It’s our fault if we could not attain the best possible form with what the Philippine Navy has provided us,” said Jimenez, who’s also a former Navy man, in Filipino.

“We also have a doctor, a dentist, and an officer in charge. It’s plain laziness if we don’t get Jerwin in condition.”

According to Ancajas, who’ll be dangling the 115-pound crown against a yet to be named opponent in October in the United States, the PNETC has made him more focused on training regardless of who he’ll be facing in the ring.

The leading candidates, according to international matchmaker and MP (Manny Pacquiao) Promotions president Sean Gibbons, are unbeaten Romanian Alexander Marin (18-0, 11 knockouts) and Chilean Miguel Gonzalez (30-2, 7 KOs).

“It’s superb, very quiet, beautiful, there’s no distraction at all,” said Ancajas, adding that their present training camp is even more secluded than the Marine Barracks in Ternate, Cavite, where they holed up for his preparations against Japanese Ryuichi Funai, whom he stopped last May in California for his seventh title defense.

Jimenez said their team, which also includes assistant coaches Fernando Parcon and Jesar Ancajas, were given two air-conditioned houses, plus other accommodations like a gym, a swimming pool, a basketball court, and a football field.

Taken in as sparring partners are Alexis Abilar, Jeorge Nuez, Angelo Beltran, Daniel Lim, John Mark Alimane, and Pakistani light welterweight Usman Wazeer. Completing Team Ancajas are cooks Johhny Domo and Nino Jonnel Jimenez, and security Archimedes Tabor.

With the seafront and the pool available, Jimenez and Ancajas have incorporated swimming into their twice a day training regimen.

“He (Ancajas) weighs 136 right now and we’ll gradually lower it starting this week,” said Jimenez.

For his ring exploits, Ancajas got promoted to senior chief petty officer by Philippine Navy Flag Officer-in-Command Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad on Monday in simple ceremonies witnessed by Gibbons, dietitian Jeaneth Aro, and the media. – Rappler.com