JERWIN Ancajas is all set to wind up his training camp and will leave on Sunday for his highly anticipated, albeit delayed, title fight with Japanese World Boxing Association bantamweight champion Tako Inoue on Feb. 24 at the famed Kogugikan Arena in Tokyo, Japan.
“Feb. 18 po ang alis namin. We’ve been here since December,” said manager-trainer Joven Jimenez yesterday from the Team Ancajas’ Survival Camp in Barangay Ramirez, Magallanes, Cavite.
“Jerwin now weighs 125 pounds but we will ensure he makes the fighting weight of 118 pounds before the fight,” said Jimenez, adding his prized ward has had a battery of sparring partners led by former world bantamweight contender Vincent Astrolabio as part of his build-up.
“He has also sparred with Alex Santisima, Bryl Bayuso, Marvin, Esquerdo, Daniel Lim. Miller Alapormina, Jesus Magdayo and Alexis Abilar,” added the manager-trainer.
A former International Boxing Federation flyweight champ, Ancajas, 32, has been preparing long and hard for this fight, initially set last year until Inoue, 28, the younger brother of undisputed super bantamweight king Naoya Inoue, got injured.
With a record of 18 wins, four by knockout, against one loss, Inoue is making his first title defense of the belt he won by unanimous decision over Venezuelan Liborio Solis for the then-vacant WBA bantamweight crown on April 8, 2023 at the Ariake Arena in the Japanese capital.
It was one of the belts left vacant by Naoya as he moved up in weight and successfully unified the IBF, WBA, World Boxing Council and WBO super bantamweight belts by stopping Marlon Tapales in the 10th round last Dec. 26 at the Ariake Arena.
The Filipino southpaw, who totes a record of 34 wins (23 KOs), three losses and two draws, last fought on June 6, 2024, scoring a fifth-round technical knockout win over Colombian journeyman Wilner Soto.
Given his rival’s formidable reputation, Inoue said in an interview with ring writer Jay Donovan of boxingscene.com over the weekend that he is adopting a “challenger mindset” against Ancajas.
‘I’m in a challenger state of mind. Ancajas defended his title nine times when he was the IBF (115-pound) champion,” the Japanese defending champ was quoted as saying. “Jerwin is a well-rounded fighter who has good technique and power.”
Jimenez brushed aside Inoue’s pre-fight hoopla, saying: “Si Jerwin ang underdog kasi siya ang challenger. Normal talaga ‘yan.”
