Arum has grand plans for Pacquiao, Ancajas

By Nick Giongco

Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum has grand plans for Manny Pacquiao and rising star Jerwin Ancajas for 2018.

The Top Rank chief told the Bulletin yesterday from his Las Vegas home that Pacquiao has finally reached out to him and that the Filipino senator is eyeing to make a ring return sometime in April in the US.

“We are going to find him a date in April,” said Arum, noting that it was Mike Koncz, Pacquiao’s Canadian adviser who delivered the message to him.

Things will clear up in the next two weeks, said Arum, stressing that determining the April date will largely depend on the 39-year-old Pacquiao’s Senate schedule.

One thing is clear, though.

“Manny doesn’t want to fight in an undercard and he wants an interesting fight (when he returns),” he said, stressing that the fighting icon does not want to appear in the Jeff Horn-Terence Crawford showdown on April 21 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

As for Ancajas, the International Boxing Federation (IBF) super-flyweight king, Arum sounded thrilled over the prospects of seeing him display his stuff on US soil.

In fact, Arum is giddy with excitement over Ancajas’ fourth defense of the IBF 115-lb title against Israel Gonzalez of Mexico on Feb. 3 in Corpus Christi, Texas.

“We signed him up for three fight in 2018 and if he does well, we will sign him up again for another three (in 2019),” said Arum.

“We are going to make him a star,” he said.

Ancajas, who has kicked off his preparation, is feeling the same thing that the initial phase of his buildup started last week in Magallanes, Cavite.

“It’s my dream to fight in the US. Soon, it will become a reality,” said Ancajas.