Ancajas stays in LA to train

LOS ANGELES – A plan to train in Las Vegas has been scuttled as IBF superflyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas decided yesterday to stay here before leaving for Puebla, Mexico, one or two weeks before his eighth title defense against a still unnamed opponent on Dec. 7.

Ancajas was set to stake his crown against Mexico’s Jonathan Javier Rodriguez at the Dignity Health Sports Park in nearby Carson last Saturday night but the bout was cancelled when the challenger was issued his US visa only a day before the weigh-in, making it impossible to complete the state’s medical exams required for a clearance to fight.

Ancajas, manager/trainer Joven Jimenez, nutritionist Jeaneth Aro and assistant Fernando Parcon, Jr. arrived here from Manila last Oct. 18. Ancajas and Jimenez will remain in the city until they leave for Mexico. Aro and Parcon left for Manila yesterday. Parcon will be back on Nov. 17 but Aro is unable to return because of commitments with national athletes performing in the Southeast Asian Games.

Jimenez said Ancajas will train either at the 9Round Gym in Hermosa Beach or Marvin Somodio’s Combinations Boxing Academy in Lawndale, whichever is closer to their home base. At the moment, the Ancajas team is staying in a rented three-story home in Redondo Beach but will vacate on Thursday to move into another place.

For Ancajas, the goal is to stay focused and keep within reach of the superflyweight limit of 115 pounds. A few minutes before finding out the fight was cancelled late last Thursday afternoon, Ancajas had already made weight. Now, his weight is up to 130 pounds, the maximum Aro has allowed for him to resume training without burning out. Aro said she will monitor Ancajas’ weight and diet daily on a remote basis.

Since the cancellation, Ancajas took a two-day break from training. Last night, he watched his first NBA game live at the Staples Center where the Los Angeles Clippers played the Utah Jazz. Today, he goes back to the gym to restart his grind. Jimenez said he’s careful not to over-train Ancajas considering he began preparing for his defense three months ago. “We’ll do 60 to 70 percent,” said Jimenez. “If we did one hour of shadow and mitts before, we’ll do 45 minutes now. We’ll spar only up to four to six rounds with Jobert (Alvarez) and maybe, one more fighter whom we can get in L. A. In Redondo Beach, we were closer to 9Round than Marvin’s gym but we’ll decide where to train as soon as (MP Promotions head) Sir Sean (Gibbons) finds a new place for us to stay in.”