A ‘more prepared’ Jerwin Ancajas set to see action
REIGNING International Boxing Federation super flyweight champion Jerwin “Pretty Boy” Ancajas is set to return to the ring on May 4 for his seventh title defense. And the Filipino titleholder said he is coming in “more prepared” and bent on churning out a convincing victory.
Scheduled to take on Japanese challenger and number one contender Ryuichi Funai at Stockton Arena in California, the Davao del Norte native Ancajas looks to redeem himself after the split draw he had in his last fight over Mexican Alejandro Santiago did not impress many who believed he could have done better.
Mr. Ancajas, 27, said he and his team recognized their shortcomings last time around and learned from it.
Team Ancajas had instituted changes in its preparation for the Funai fight to give the Filipino boxer better leverage come fight night.
It had moved much of its training time to a Marine base in Ternate from its Survival Camp in Magallanes, Cavite, to allow Mr. Ancajas to focus more; it also engaged the services of a nutritionist to monitor his food intake; and employed a number of sparring partners to give him different looks and styles to take note from.
Mr. Ancajas (30-1-2) said he is now fighting as well with a renewed sense of purpose, recognizing what he has already accomplished and how far he has come as a boxer.
“Come fight night, we hope all our sacrifices pay off. This fight is not only about me but also about the entire team which has sacrificed a lot for us to be here,” said Mr. Ancajas.
As to the fight, Mr. Ancajas said he is expecting nothing less but a tough challenge from Mr. Funai (31-7).
“We are expecting him to attack. He is hungry for a world championship and he will take the fight to us. But we will be ready,” he said.
The Ancajas-Funai battle is part of the fight card staged by Top Rank and headlined by the IBF light heavyweight title clash between champion Artur Beter of Russia against challenger Radivoje Kalajdzic of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Mr. Ancajas has been a champion since September 2016 when he defeated McJoe Arroyo of Puerto Rico.
The Ancajas-Funai will be broadcast over ABS-CBN S+A beginning at 10 a.m. on May 5 (Manila time). — Michael Angelo S. Murillo
