Ancajas superb in title win over a somnambulist

Jerwin Ancajas prepared hard and came ready for a full-scale war, but the repackaged IBF super flyweight champion had to console and assure his lean and stiff Japanese opponent after scoring a devastating stoppage in Stockton, California, on Sunday.

Ancajas said he was amazed at the courage and toughness of top challenger Ruichi Funai, who refused to give up and begged to continue after the referee ordered a halt to the carnage at the start of the seventh round.

Ancajas readily detailed the hard work, change in training venue and new regimen that led to his sensational win, a spectacular comeback from a shameful defense last year, when he was forced to a silly draw by an obscure and shorter Mexican challenger.

Ancajas now appeared ready to again go big time in a blaze.

It would however be worth asking the winner-and-still-champ if he had any inkling the Funai assignment would be nothing more than a punching target drill.

His victory was called superb, a classy punching clinic.

Ancajas would say he also tasted a measure of his opponent’s toughness.

On the whole though, it was a wholesale mismatch against a tame opponent who took punches freely like a hired punching target.

It’s a bit odd but Ancajas was quick to claim it was a perfect outing, giving himself a score of 9-10.

Chief handler Joven Jimenez, however, said Ancajas could only be 8 or less (on a scale of 10) on Sunday.

Even that was too generous, if not exaggerated, because it’s impossible to come up with a proper score against a ring somnambulist.

There were ready calls for hapless Funai to quit, but the Japanese aspirant said he would be back and fight at home in an eight-rounder.

Ancajas was being lined up to fight Andrew Moloney, undefeated Australian Orient Pacific Boxing Federation super flyweight champ.

There was another suggestion for Ancajas to go for a unification bout against WBC 115-pound titlist Juan Francisco Estrada of Mexico.

Ancajas was reportedly paid $178, 000 for his last assignment.

Ancajas got a petty purse when he won the IBF super flyweight title over McJoe Arroyo of Puerto Rico in 2016. Manny Pacquiao later rewarded him with a hefty sum.

Ancajas is listed as the first world champion of the Manny Pacquiao Promotions.