The non-winner remains a champ

Sure, Barrios (16-2-5, 7 KOs) packed power, but he couldn’t fully utilize it as Ancajas, a cunning southpaw, was constantly waylaying him with jabs and combinations.

Jerwin Ancajas fought unimpressively again on Saturday. I saw him the winner only because Alejandro Santiago Barrios lacked the arsenal to complete a victory he sure looked capable of accomplishing. The Mexican’s inexperience betrayed him as the fight wore on.

My score was 116-112 for Ancajas because he landed more punches than Barrios.

Was I glad my judging resembled one of the three judges’ scorecards.

And, cruelly, Ancajas was robbed of victory because the second judge scored it a 114-114 tie and the third judge a horrific 118-110 win for Barrios.

That resulted in an ugly draw and—if it’s any consolation—it allowed Ancajas to retain his IBF world junior bantamweight title.

That 118-110 score for Barrios made my blood boil.

The misguided judge must have watched a different fight?

It is judges like him/her that spoil, if not destroy, the sport and ought to be banned from boxing for life.

While it was clear that Barrios had the tools of a winner, they weren’t enough yet to dismantle Ancajas’ crown.

I submit that the 22-yearold Barrios appeared ready to give the 26-year-old Ancajas trouble when he landed a solid overhand right to the face in the third round.

It jarred Ancajas and, for a while there, I thought Ancajas would fail in his sixth title defense.

But thank God Ancajas survived the early blast, using as buffer the lessons learned in his 32 (30-1-1, win-loss-draw) previous fights.

Sure, Barrios (16-2-5, 7 KOs) packed power, but he couldn’t fully utilize it as Ancajas, a cunning southpaw, was constantly waylaying him with jabs and combinations.

Ancajas, whose last win in May was a much-criticized unanimous decision over his compatriot Jonas Sultan also in California, was also clearly baffled by Barrios’ shiftiness and winged feet that his mission to make the Mexican his 21st knockout victim fell to pieces.

It was a draw, all right, but Ancajas will still find a bit of happiness in the fact that he snapped Barrios’ 11-fight winning streak.

It was a draw, all right, but Ancajas will still come home the champ. That’s what counts.