BOXING Ancajas revs up for his defense vs Japanese foe

Jerwin Ancajas is making sure all bases will be covered by the time his team leaves for the US late next month for the mandatory defense of his International Boxing Federation (IBF) super-flyweight crown in Stockton, California.

Joven Jimenez, who manages and trains Ancajas, said that the Filipino southpaw has entered a critical phase of his preparation for the seventh defense of the IBF 115-lb title against Japanese Ryuichi Funai.

“Up until the third week of April, there’ll be no more unscheduled trips outside (training) camp,” said Jimenez, who is holed out at Survival Camp in Magallanes, Cavite, a barebones facility that houses Ancajas and other boxers.

About seven fighters are rotating to spar with Ancajas, whose last fight was a draw with Alejandro Santiago of Mexico last September in Oakland.

Ancajas, 27, (30-1-2 with 20 KOs) has held the IBF championship since Sept. 2016.

Funai, 33, (31-7 with 22 KOs) will be making his first fight outside Japan.

Team Ancajas plans to fly to San Francisco on April 23 and will camp out in Stockton, 83 miles east of the Bay Area, as soon as they set foot on American soil.

Jimenez is in the process of expediting the travel documents of the personnel that he will bring to the US to assist him.

Aside from the fighter and trainer, those who have been identified to join them are Jesar Ancajas, Jerald Deniega, Herbert Penaranda, Fernando Parcon, Virgil Jimenez, Jeaneth Aro and Mark Lontayao.

But there could still be additional team members accompanying them as soon as they secure their US visas.

Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum’s Top Rank, Inc. will be staging the Ancajas-Funai showdown.