Ancajas adds weight but camp not worried: ‘It’s normal’

Jerwin Ancajas weighs 115.8 pounds after Thursday morning’s workout.

CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS—At first glance, the pile of white tucked at the corner of Jerwin Ancajas’ hotel room were soiled beddings and pillows.

But upon closer look, a cell phone became visible and there was slight movement beneath the sheets. Somebody was in there, listening to music. It was Jerwin Ancajas.

The International Boxing Federation junior bantamweight champion went old-school sauna to help him sweat more Thursday night.

Earlier, he did the mitts with trainer Joven Jimenez and ran short jogs to rev up the muscles. After 15 minutes, he went out, stripped out of sweat suits and proceeded to the toilet to check his weight.

Ancajas logged 117 pounds—two lbs above the weight limit and 1.2 over the 115.8 he registered Wednesday night.

Instead of being concerned, however, Jimenez felt relieved.

Jerwin Ancajas jogs inside his room at Holiday Inn Corpus Christi Downtown Marina. | @rluarcaINQ pic.twitter.com/DldrHk9ZL2

— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) February 2, 2018

He told Manila-based sportswriters that Ancajas was really supposed to weigh within that range less than 24 hours before Friday’s official weigh-in.

“It’s normal for Jerwin,” said Jimenez. “He can shed two, four or even five pounds in one solid training session” because he perspires a lot.

Even former world champion Rodel Mayol and Asian Games gold medalist Roberto Jalnaiz, who were tapped by Jimenez to assist him and Ancajas here for the Feb. 3 title fight, were surprised by the amount of sweat that oozed out when Ancajas did the treadmill Thursday morning at the Holiday Inn Downtown Marina fitness center.

“With the way he (Ancajas) sweats , he can even go down to 105,” Mayol, the former World Boxing Council light flyweight titlist,” said in jest. “But we have to make sure that the nutrients he lost are replenished.”

Jerwin Ancajas does old school “sauna” after Thursday night’s workout at his hotel room. | @rluarcaINQ pic.twitter.com/NuTPHUQRUy

— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) February 2, 2018

That’s why Ancajas was allowed to eat small servings, with soup on the side, making him heavier when he woke up after an afternoon nap.

According to Jimenez, Ancajas will still be given food by midnight, but without rice.

To give his ward ample time to rest and sleep, Jimenez switched rooms with Ancajas.

“When he wakes up, hell’ be a little bit heavier and he’ll get the weight in one session before lunch,” said Jimenez.

If not, the old reliable sauna will come in handy.