The career of dethroned world champion Jerwin Ancajas is far from over.
Despite ending up battered and bruised by Argentine banger Fernando Martinez, Ancajas could still be rehabilitated and retooled, according to top strength and conditioning coach Memo Heredia.
Ancajas, who had been one of boxing’s longest reigning titleholders, lost on a lopsided 12-round decision at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas over the weekend.
It was a heartbreaking loss by Ancajas, who was attempting to post a record-matching tenth defense of the International Boxing Federation 115-lb crown, the same number of defenses made by Gabriel ”Flash” Elorde during his reign as world junior-lightweight king from 1960 to 1967.
Heredia, who works with newly-crowned world featherweight champion Mark Magsayo, Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Eumir Marcial and Manny Pacquiao conqueror Yordenis Ugas, told Daily Tribune that Ancajas can be repackaged in time for his comeback bout.
“I believe Jerwin can be back strong but definitely changes in his nutrition, supplementation and recovery has to be done immediately not only for his career but also for his health,” Heredia said. Ancajas took a lot of punishment from Martinez, who landed an astonishing 427 out of 1,026. In contrast, Ancajas scored just 192 out of 816 blows thrown.
Heredia, who also had a hand in Juan Manuel Marquez’s one-punch, sixth-round knockout of Pacquiao in December 2012, feels Ancajas wasn’t at his best physically for the rugged Martinez.
“Fighting while dehydrated can have fatal consequences for a fighter as well as his performance on the ring, (his) conditioning training needs to be updated, opponents at this level get harder and competitive,” Heredia said.
Ancajas, a southpaw, also had his moments during the firefight with Martinez but was very hittable as evidenced by the South American’s high success rate in punches scored.
“Unfortunately, Jerwin was not with Memo. Otherwise, the story today would have been different,” Heredia added.
Meanwhile, Ancajas is likely to go up in weight as he had been having difficulties making the division limit.
MP Promotions chief Sean Gibbons will discuss with Ancajas and lead trainer Joven Jimenez about what steps to take.
