Filipino boxing champion Jerwin Ancajas cannot help but feel disappointed after hearing the cancellation of his unification match against Japanese star Kazuto Ioka recently.
"I'm so sad. I am very sad that I heard Japan cannot accept visitors. The borders closed," said Ancajas in an interview with FightHype.com
But the normal life of a boxer continues as Ancajas goes back to the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, California to maintain his conditioning and train.
Ancajas, the IBF junior bantamweight champion, also had a couple of sparring sessions heading into the postponed match.
Ioka's Shisei Boxing Gym opted to cancel the fight due to COVID-19 concerns, especially after the Japanese government implemented a stricter policy of suspending new entry of foreigners late last month with threat of the new omicron COVID-19 variant.
The match was initially scheduled on New Year's Eve at the Ota City General Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan.
But Ancajas is determined to return to action next year for another unification match or resume the bout against Ioka, the WBO titleholder.
"Me and coach we hope they have another unification but we will look forward for the ," added the Panabo, Davao del Norte native boxer, who has 33 wins, on top of 22 knockouts, one loss, and two draws.
The 32-year-old Ioka, for his part, holds a 27-2 record with 15 KOs with the recent coming from Mexican Francisco Rodriguez Jr.