By Nick Giongco
Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum rang up Filipino world champion Jerwin Ancajas late Thursday night to assure him of one thing.
“Mr. Arum told Jerwin that Top Rank will fulfill its commitment to give him four fights this year,” said Ancajas’ chief handler Joven Jimenez yesterday afternoon, adding the conversation was made possible by their US agent Sean Gibbons.
Arum called up Ancajas, the country’s newest ring hero, following Top Rank’s decision to postpone the April 14 show in Las Vegas that will be headlined by the world welterweight title fight between Australian champion Jeff Horn and American challenger Terence Crawford.
Arum guaranteed Ancajas that the postponement was just a mere speed hump and not a road block.
Top Rank has Ancajas, the International Boxing Federation super-flyweight titlist, under contract and the first of four fights the Las Vegas-based outfit detailed in the multi-fight deal actually was carried out last February in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Ancajas was supposed to see action underneath the Horn-Crawford showdown but Crawford suffered a hand injury during sparring, forcing Arum to scrap the event at Mandalay Bay.
The dates Arum is looking at are May 26, June 2 or June 9. The venue would still be Las Vegas.
With the postponement, Ancajas will have to hit the brakes in training although Jimenez insists the 26-year-old southpaw will continue to show up in the gym.
“We will just lower the volume,” said Jimenez, who presides over the training headquarters named Survival Camp in Magallanes, Cavite.
“We want to be busy this year and Top Rank says it will do just that,” added Jimenez.
Based on Arum’s timetable, Ancajas will have fights in August then in November assuming he keeps on winning.
For Ancajas and Jimenez, that clearly sounds music to their ears.
