MANILA, Philippines – Jerwin Ancajas may have outgrown the super flyweight division.

This cropped up after MP (Manny Pacquiao) Promotions president Sean Gibbons revealed to PlayitRight TV on Sunday that Ancajas had difficulty shedding off the last pound before the official weigh-in of his defense of the IBF super flyweight belt against Argentine Fernando Martinez on Saturday, February 26 (Sunday, February 27, Philippine time) at the Cosmopolitan Arena in Las Vegas.

Gibbons told hosts Quinito Henson and Dyan Castillejo that Ancajas had to spend extra hours to make the 115-pound limit Friday morning and was never in his best element from that point on.

Though Ancajas eventually weighed 114.6, his rehydration was thrown into disarray and he was never the snappy, deadly champion against Martinez, who in turn fought with machine-like action and precision.

According to Gibbons, Ancajas told him that he felt flat as early as the second round.

His mind and spirit were willing but his body wasn’t responding. His legs were heavy and there were no pop and sting on his punches. He was cramping up and couldn’t execute the game plan.

No wonder, Martinez walked through him and unloaded 1,046 punches, 427 of which landed, mostly on Ancajas’ head.

As a routine procedure, Ancajas got examined at the medical trauma center after the action-packed 12-rounder the Argentine won by a clear unanimous decision.

Gibbons said he’s going to confer with Ancajas and trainer Joven Jimenez before deciding on the direction where Ancajas’ career would proceed.

Definitely, however, the rematch clause with Martinez would be an option.

Also to be considered is Ancajas moving up to the bantamweight division.

According to Gibbons the bout with Japanese Kazuto Ioka, the World Boxing Organization super flyweight champion, is also off the table.

“He was drained, but not exhausted. It’s just a feeling of being helpless,” said Gibbons, who believes Ancajas could bounce back from the defeat that pulled his record to 33-2-2 with 22 knockouts.

“That wasn’t the Jerwin Ancajas we know,” noted Gibbons. “The week leading to the fight he was okay, but sometimes the body doesn’t work that way.”

“One bad fight doesn’t define his career,” said Gibbons. – Rappler.com