OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: Like his idol Manny Pacquiao, Jerwin Ancajas fights for the Filipinos, too
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 03 Feb 2018
When our own Jerwin Ancajas fights his 10th-ranked challenger Israel ?Jiga? Gonzales Saturday night (Sunday morning in Manila) in his debut in the United State, he, not only will be defending his International Boxing Federation super-flyweight crown for the fourth time, but, likewise, make a lasting impression on what kind of people the Filipinos are.
Ancajas and the Mexican title pretender trade punch for 12 rounds at the Bank of America Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.
"Kinu-compare na rin lang ninyo ako kay Sir Manny (eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao) eh di aminin ko na sa inyo na gusto ko na rin naman talagang gayahin siya, ang lahat ng nagawa niya sa ating bayan at sa ating mga Pilipino,? he told this writer in a long distance telephone interview Thursday following light training session.
?Opo, I like to make an impact not only for myself as a boxer but as a Filipino as well, gaya ng ginawa ni Sir Manny. Marami kasi ang nag-kuwento sa akin tungkol sa di magandang pagtingin sa atin ng mga taga-ibang bansa na nagawang baguhin ni Sir Manny,? he said.
Ancajas said he experienced it himself when he and his party set foot at the Los Angeles Airport. ?Pagdating ko sa immigration officer tiningnan agad ako mula ulo hanggang paa nang ipakita ko ang Philippine passport ko. Nang malaman niyang Pilipino ako at boxer pa, agad niya akong binati at ang sabi, oh Philippines, Manny Pacquiao.?
?Noon ko napatunayan na tutoo pala ang kinuwento sa akin ng mga kaibigan ko. Sinabi ko sa sarili ko, gagayahin ko ang ginawa ni Sir Manny na ipakita kung anong klaseng tao tayong mga Piliino at anong klaseng bansa ang Pilipinas,? he exclaimed. ?At siyempre para magawa ko yun, kailangan manalo ako. Kailangan maging impressive ang panalo.?
The Magallanes, Cavite-based father of two boys with wife Ruth admitted though that barely a few days before the fight, Gonzalez remained mystery to him and members of his team.
He and his manager, he disclosed, were able to get hold of a tape of one of Gonzalez's fights sent to them by a friend two years ago yet. ?Wala talagga kaming alam sa kung anong klaseng boxer itong makakalaban ko.?
?Wala kaming makitang tape ng laban ni Gonzalez kahit sa YouTube,? Joven Jimenez, his manager-trainer, for his part said. ?Buti may nagbigay ng link ng laban ni Gonzalez kay Garcia (WBO light-flweight champ Ramon Garcia), whom Gonzalez floored twice on the way to an easy victory. Garcia was the same man, who lost his WBO title to Donnie Nietes in Bacolod City in 2011.
In that fight, Jimenez said they noticed several of Gonzales? weaknesses. ?Ang problema two years ago na yung laban kaya baka nagbago na ang istilo ni Gonzalez. Counterpuncher siya, parang si Marquez (Juan Manuel Marquez). May right straight. Hindi siya magalaw, hindi takbuhin, hindi atrasin, mahina ang footwork. Pasugod at bihira mag-lateral.?
Without a clear idea of how Gonzalez fights, Ancajas said he will not rush things out. ?Paga-aralan ko muna sa umpisa kung paano siya gumalaw. Tatantyahin kung gaano kalakas ang suntok at gaano kabilis ang kamay at paa. Mahirap kalaban kasi nga hindi natin kilala. At ako, I?m sure marami siyang na-review na laban ko.?
?Handa naman ako sa kahit ano ang kaya niyang ibigay. Sa nakita namin sa tape, lamang ako sa bilis at punching power. Damihan nati ang suntok at mas mabilis kaysa dating ginagawa,? Ancajas, who has so far fought 30 times winning 28, 19KOs, losing once and drawing once, said.
?Gaya nang nasabi ko sa inyo noong mag-usap tayo bago kami umalis sa Pilipinas, hiling ko lang sa mga kababayan natin ang kanilang dalangin na sana ay tulungan ako ng Panginoon. Para a Kanya itong labang ito. Para a Pilipinas at sa ating mga Pilipino,? he said.
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