Ancajas reaches crossroads

The Knucklehead Boxing Gym in Las Vegas, owned and operated by the do-it-all American dealmaker Sean Gibbons, is starting to buzz with activity.

A few days ago, former world champion Jerwin Ancajas blew into town with longtime trainer Joven Jimenez to kickstart training camp.

“The plan is for him to fight in Japan in the first part of April,” Gibbons told DAILY TRIBUNE.

Ancajas, 34, has logged a 37-4-2 win-loss-draw record with 24 knockouts.

Since losing to Japanese Takuma Inoue for a chance to wrest the World Boxing Association bantamweight title in February 2024, the southpaw Ancajas has racked up three straight wins as he makes his way up the rankings in the powerhouse 122-pound class.

Before going on a slump, Ancajas made nine defenses of the International Boxing Federation (IBF) super-flyweight title from September 2016 until April 2021.

Undoubtedly, Ancajas is in his final run towards a world title shot which he hopes would come as soon as pound-for-pound star Naoya “Monster” Inoue decides to go up in weight towards the end of this year.

Gibbons is positioning Ancajas well in the ratings.

Currently, Ancajas is ranked No. 12 in the IBF and No. 7 in the World Boxing Organization.

His place among the leading contenders is due to the influence of the charismatic Gibbons, who has secured world title cracks to countless world-rated Filipino contenders for over a decade foremost among them is Johnriel Casimero apart from the fact that he also runs the Manny Pacquiao Promotions on American soil.

Gibbons is also working with Eumir Marcial, Marlon Tapales, Mark Magsayo, Jammes Carl Martin and also Pedro Taduran, the IBF minimumweight titlist who is also holding camp in Sin City.

Also on Gibbons’ list of clients are AJ Paciones and Weljon Mindoro.

With Gibbons moving heaven and earth to resuscitate Ancajas’s career, it now boils down to one thing.

Ancajas needs to deliver in Japan to maintain his status.

If he doesn’t, that could mean the end to an exemplary career.

The ball is now in Ancajas’ court.