Jerwin Ancajas opens up on first KO loss vs Takuma Inoue

TOKYO — Former world super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas is aware of his shortcomings from his ninth-round knockout loss at the hands of WBA world bantamweight champion Takuma Inoue on Saturday.

The 32-year-old Ancajas, a veteran of 40 fights, absorbed a stoppage defeat for the first time in his professional career. According to the former champion, he was fixated on hitting the body to the point that it left him open for the taking.

"I was so focused on hitting the body, but it was me who got hit in the body," Ancajas, who dropped his record to 34-4-2 with 23 knockouts, said in Filipino.

"That was the first time in my career, even in sparring I never went down from a body shot. The timing and it was right in the middle because I was open with my wild punches. After it hit, I lost air and it was like my body broke down."

Ancajas had it rough for the past few of years. After nine defenses of his then IBF world super flyweight title, the Filipino suffered back-to-back losses against Fernando Martinez in 2022.

He scored a win over Wilner Soto last June, but his latest outing got him losing three of his last four fights.

According to Ancajas, he will let his trainer and manager Joven Jimenez, and MP Promotions President Sean Gibbons decide what is next for him.

"It got me thinking [why I was getting hit so easy]. I lose my skills atop the ring but when I spar [it is there]. It is like I get dumb inside the ring. I do not know what is happening," Ancajas said.

"I only follow what sir Sean [Gibbons] and coach plan for me. I have very low morale right now and I lost my confidence. It is what it is, I will leave it to the Lord what is next for my career."

—JKC, GMA Integrated News