Foeless Ancajas still keeping sharp shape

At 28 years old, world boxing champion Jerwin Ancajas is still looking for a fight that will put him in the big leagues. But he appears to be in no rush, though.

Ancajas has no complaints about starting training in their rented apartment in Los Angeles. After all, for most of the past year, he has been training in his own backyard in Cavite.

He’s got no problem waiting a little longer for his next fight, too—he’s been in limbo since stopping Miguel Gonzalez last December in Mexico.

“We are used to waiting and adjusting [for his next fight],” said his manager and trainer, Joven Jimenez. “All we can do right now is prepare and make sure he is in shape.”

With no clear opponent or fight date yet, Team Ancajas officially opened its training camp in a pop-up gym behind a house he shares with Olympic-bound Eumir Felix Marcial.

Yet unlike Marcial, who is training in the famed Wild Card Gym under Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach, Ancajas is embracing a “homestyle” approach.

“We will be training right here for the meantime. We don’t want to get to the gym, it’s still too risky,” said Jimenez, who will be assisted by Fernando Parcon.

Ancajas (32-2-2 with 22 knockouts) already began his sparring sessions against former foe Jonas Sultan, who was flown in from the Philippines to help him prepare.

“Nothing is final yet,” said Jimenez, who is counting on Top Rank to book his fighter a fight before the year ends.

And they are looking at at least two possible opponents: WBA champ Joshua Franco of the United States (17-1-2 with eight KOs) and Mexican challenger Jonathan Rodriguez (21-1-0 with 15 KOs).

Rodriguez had been tabbed as opponent for Ancajas’ ninth title defense. But their fight was postponed twice already, first due to the Mexican’s visa problems and second because of the coronavirus pandemic. INQ

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