Philippines, 19 Jul 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Second Overtime: As a pandemic grips boxing, Joven Jimenez leans on his faith


PhilBoxing.com



Team Ancajas.
CHICAGO -- It was a Monday, March 16. Another week looms and a trip to Las Vegas, Nevada lay just four days away.

But for Joven Jimenez, it was just another day. Another grind.

The champion trainer was with his prized ward Jerwin Ancajas and they were navigating their way to an undisclosed location in Makati to put in a solid round of training.

And then the phone rang.

It was Sean Gibbons on the other end of the line.

Gibbons, the president of Manny Pacquiao Promotions, is usually a leaky hydrant of joy and happiness, but he was less jovial in this particular hook up.

There was some unpleasant development to relay. The coronavirus has crippled the world and sports wasn't spared, bringing all forms of recreation unto its helpless knees, including boxing.

Gibbons told Joven that Ancajas' ninth title defense of his IBF super flyweight title scheduled at April 11 at the swanky Cosmopolitan Hotel and Casino nestled on the famous Las Vegas strip has been shelved for now.

The news was unsettling. But it was also oddly familiar.

Last November, Jimenez received the same disappointing news when Jerwin's scheduled defense in Carson, California was called off because his then challenger, Jonathan Rodriguez, encountered visa problems.


Joven Jimenez (L) and Jerwin Ancajas in training.

Ancajas had a 35-day furlough and eventually defended his title for the eighth time by stopping Miguel Gonzalez in six rounds at the Auditorio GNP Seguros in Puebla, Mexico last December 7.

Ancajas' reset April 11 meeting with Rodriguez, who has since been cleared to fight in the United States, was supposed to be Ancajas' maiden bout in glitzy Las Vegas, the mecca of modern day boxing.

And then the pandemic happened.

A man of staunch faith, Jimenez took the setback surprisingly well.

"God is great. Protectahan po tayo lahat sa sakit lalo na sa coronavirus," (God is great. He will protect us all from illness especially the coronavirus) Jimenez told PhilBoxing.com.

The inconvenience and the uncertainty of a new fight date doesn't bother Jimenez, either.

"Tinatanggap ng maluwag para madaling maka move on sir. Focus agad sa training," (We are taking this in stride so we can move on swiftly and focus on training) he added.

So the game plan for now, Jimenez explained, is to make sure that Jerwin stays sharp and trim without burning out. A huge key to that is reducing the volume and intensity of training sessions.

As for Jerwin's food intake, nutritionist Jeaneth Aro remains on Team Ancajas monitoring breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Aro told PhilBoxing.com that Jerwin's meals are based on a typical Filipino diet consisting of healthy choices. His intakes include eggs, fruits. rice. meat and vegetables.

Jerwin also shrugs postponement.

It's part of the job, he says. But he will be ready when the bells rings.

Whenever and wherever that may be.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Homer D. Sayson.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Usyk Registers Career-Heaviest Weight as Dubois Looks Ready for Undisputed Rematch at Wembley
    , Sat, 19 Jul 2025
  • Rodriguez vs. Cafu Unification Clash Set for Frisco, Texas; All Fighters Make Weight
    By Dong Secuya, , Sat, 19 Jul 2025
  • LOPEZ VS. VARGAS WEIGHTS FROM PECHANGA RESORT CASINO
    , Sat, 19 Jul 2025
  • “Bambol” Tolentino in Las Vegas: Supporting Filipino Athletes and Pacquiao
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Unstoppable: Team Philippines Storms Into Davis Cup Finals After Qatar Sweep
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Blu Girls Stumble Against Taipei, Look to Regroup vs. Hong Kong
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Fighting for clean sweep
    By Joaquin Henson, , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • WBA No. 2 Heavyweight Contender Michael Hunter Is Ready to Take on World Champion Kubrat Pulev; All Systems Go for Purse Bid Winner Don King
    , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Weights from Panama City; WBA Women's Interim Superfly Title at Stake
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Undefeated prospect Pryce Taylor Working hard to join Brooklyn’s Elite list of top heavyweight boxers
    , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Justin Goossen-Brown Set to Make DAZN Broadcasting Debut This Friday at Boxlab Promotions’ Night of Champions in Orlando
    , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Philippine Davis Cup Team Sweeps Kuwait to Stay Unbeaten in Group IV
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Pacquiao Promises Surprise Against Barrios
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • PACQUIAO VS. BARRIOS UNDERCARD MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES
    , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Rosaupan rules Pasay rapid chess championship
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Blu Girls Fall to China in Nail-Biter, Slip to 5–2 in Asia Cup
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • The 19th Thousand Island Cup Philippine Xiangqi Open tournament on August 3
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Pacquiao’s Legacy in Motion: PacMan contra El Azteca
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Thu, 17 Jul 2025
  • Blu Girls Crush Singapore 13-0, Set Sights on China in Asia Cup Showdown
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 17 Jul 2025
  • Laylo, Dableo to play in Baguio Open
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 17 Jul 2025
  • Pacquiao Shines in Final Press Conference: Can The Pacman Defeat Father Time and Barrios? (Analysis & Prediction)
    By Carlos Costa, , Thu, 17 Jul 2025
  • More lucrative fights await Manny Pacquiao
    By Leo Reyes, , Thu, 17 Jul 2025
  • Rumors about Pacquiao-Mayweather rematch
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Thu, 17 Jul 2025
  • Tapales, Laurente to help Inoue against MJ
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 17 Jul 2025
  • AL BERNSTEIN, CHRISTY MARTIN AND ERIC BOTTJER TO SERVE AS ALL-STAR COMMENTARY TEAM FOR THIS FRIDAY’S ‘LOPEZ VS. VARGAS’ EVENT
    , Thu, 17 Jul 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.