Jerwin outgunned but unbowed
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 10 Oct 2022
LOS ANGELES. Jerwin Ancajas fought valiantly in attempting to regain the IBF superflyweight crown that Argentine Olympian Fernando Martinez took from him in Las Vegas last February but fell short in the rematch to lose by a unanimous 12-round decision at the Dignity Health Sports Park here Saturday night (yesterday morning, Manila time).
In their first encounter, Martinez threw 1,046 punches and landed 427 while Ancajas connected 192 of 816. Volumes were lower in the return fight as Martinez hit 241 of 674 and Ancajas, 185 to 785. Ancajas proved busier the second time around but Martinez was more accurate.
It seemed like Ancajas had found the antidote to Martinez’ bullying tactics as he was constantly on the move to keep the Argentine at bay in the early going. Ancajas, however, lacked the power to scare off Martinez who was relentless in chasing down the challenger. A right uppercut to Martinez’ chin jolted him in the second round and caused a near stumble. In the fourth, Ancajas backed up Martinez and at the end of the round, the champion went the wrong way to his corner. Martinez roared back in the fifth and clipped Ancajas with an overhand right as he kept putting on the pressure. Ancajas began to lose steam in the sixth and abandoned his footwork, waiting to counter flat-footed instead of creating opportunities with movement. An accidental headbutt caused a cut at the tip of Ancajas’ left eyebrow near the bridge of his nose in the seventh and it triggered a wild brawl that had the fans howling.
As Ancajas slowed down, Martinez stepped up his attack. Ancajas refused to retreat and even obliged Martinez who invited him to engage by bringing his hands down. But Ancajas had little left in his tank. Martinez fell on a slip in the 11th round and in the final frame, pushed down Ancajas who dropped to his knees near the ropes. No knockdown was called by referee Eddie Hernandez. Both fighters traded bombs as the fight came to a close with the outcome a foregone conclusion. Judge Ellis Johnson saw it 119-109 while judges Tiffany Clinton and Zachary Young both had it 118-110, all for Martinez.
“Binigay ko ang lahat,” said Ancajas. “Pasensya na at ‘di ko napasaya ang kababayan natin.” Although he lost, Ancajas drew praise from the crowd for his courage. Messages of support poured in via social media as fans said they were proud of his brave effort to bring honor to the country. Ancajas was whisked off in an ambulance to a nearby hospital for a CT-Scan after the fight as a precautionary measure and was later cleared to rest in his hotel. “Jerwin was fine and actually fought better than the first fight but style-wise, he had a lot of trouble,” said MP Promotions head Sean Gibbons.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joaquin Henson.
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