Ancajas bites the dust

Ancajas bites the dust

PHILIPPINE pro boxing just cannot catch a break.

Former IBF junior bantamweight (115 pounds) champion Jerwin “Pretty Boy” Ancajas became the latest Filipino boxer to find himself on the receiving end of the dreaded 10-count, getting stopped in nine rounds by Japanese Takuma Inoue in a battle for the WBA bantamweight (118 pounds) championship.

Figuring in a title fight in only his maiden appearance in the bantamweight division, Ancajas enjoyed token success against Inoue. He rocked Inoue with occasional right hooks and debilitating body shots.

However, for the most part of the fight, Ancajas just stood in front of Inoue and offered the head movement of a statue.

In what has become an alarming trend in his recent fights, Ancajas’ just could not dodge the punches coming his way. It was as if Ancajas had been hypnotized and made to just stand in front of Inoue as the Japanese hammered away with gusto.

Inoue is not known as a heavy puncher, but with Ancajas becoming a stationary target the Japanese landed at will.

Inoue offered the faster hands and repeatedly beat Ancajas to the punch. Ancajas absorbed an alarming number of right straights from Inoue. The Japanese WBA champ may not be a heavy hitter, but given the number of punches he threw and landed Ancajas was bound to capitulate.

Go down on his knees Ancajas did in the ninth round, when Inoue nailed him with some nasty right hands to the breadbasket. Like a balloon pricked by a needle, Ancajas crumpled to the canvas.

For the first time in his career, Ancajas found himself getting stopped in a fight.

After the fight, Ancajas told reporters that it was the first time he got knocked out by a body shot. Ancajas also could not explain why he became an easy target for Inoue. Ancajas claimed he just lost his skills in the ring.

From where this writer this, Ancajas was at his best in November 2017, when he stopped the previously unbeaten Irishman Jamie Conlan in six rounds.

Thereafter, Ancajas’ performance started to inexplicably deteriorate.

It did not help that Top Rank Promotions wasted Ancajas’ career by failing to get him the big fights at junior bantamweight. Ancajas did not get the mega fights he wanted under Top Rank and severed his ties with the promotional outfit in 2021.

In 2022, Ancajas lost back-to-back fights to Colombian slugger Fernando Daniel Martinez in battles for the IBF junior bantamweight title.

The first loss to Martinez in February 2022 cost Ancajas his IBF junior bantamweight crown and ended his reign as 115-pound king. Ancajas tried to regain the IBF plum but was badly outgunned again by Martinez in their rematch in October 2022.

Ancajas took a lot of punishment in the Martinez fights and this triggered loose whispers that he may no longer be the same fighter.

Not a few thought Ancajas overstayed at junior bantamweight. A move up in weight was suggested and Ancajas promptly bulked up in his next fight, tipping the scales at around 121 pounds for his June 2023 scuffle against Wilner Soto.

Ancajas looked good in the Soto fight, but the Colombian had lost six straight fights going in and was really nothing more than a tune-upfoe.

Ancajas could have used additional fights at the heavier bantamweight division but opted to jump straight away at the title fight with Inoue.

Inoue’s camp, of course, really wanted Ancajas because the latter offered a recognizable name but one with suspect, if not totally tattered, confidence.

Ancajas admitted after the fight that he just could not do in the ring what he normally did with aplomb in the gym.

Ancajas’ record sunk to 34-4, 2 draws with 23 knockouts. The loss to Inoue is damaging and may result in some major housecleaning if Ancajas plans to continue fighting.

Joven Jimenez, Ancajas’ longtime coach, has offered to step back to give Ancajas a clean slate. Jimenez also disclosed the real reasons why Ancajas’ performance had deteriorated: the fighter has been drinking and engaging in some vices.

Ancajas is only 32 years old but appears to have accumulated a lot of mileage in the ring. It will take more than tapping a new trainer to get his career back on track. The problem is not only mental, but physical.

Ancajas just got knocked out and coming back from this loss will take a dedicated effort.

Pretty Boy needs to get the eye of the tiger back.