By Nick Giongco • Dennis Principe
International Boxing Federation (IBF) super-flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas was prim and proper during the 18th Elorde Boxing Awards on Sunday night you’d think he was answering questions one would usually hear during a beauty pageant, world peace forum or global warming summit.
Facing mandatory challenger Jonas Sultan for the first time, Ancajas spoke highly of his shorter but beefy rival and Facebook friend that it’s hard to believe they are going to try to beat each other up in a few months.
Top Rank chief Bob Arum is in the process of naming the exact date and location of Ancajas’ fifth defense of the IBF 115-lb crown with San Francisco, Los Angeles and Las Vegas being eyed to host the first all-Filipino world title fight in almost a century.
The much-awaited fight, the first since 1923 when Pancho Villa defended against Clever Sencio at Wallace Field (now Luneta), according to the Hall of Fame promoter, will happen late-May or early-June.
“We’ll show boxing fans that our fight will be worth watching even though we are both Filipinos,” said Ancajas before receiving the night’s top award at the Okada Manila.
PACQUIAO WISHES BOTH FIGHTERS
Meantime, Manny Pacquiao doesn’t want the all-Pinoy duel to happen but the fighting senator still wish the two all the best once they finally slug it out inside the ring.
Moments after his speech, Pacquiao insists he would rather see Ancajas and Sultan face separate foreign foes and eventually have an equal share of the spotlight as proud products of Philippine boxing.
“Hindi maganda kasi parehong Pinoy. Pero kung yun ang talagang dapat mangyari, wala na tayong magagawa,” said Pacquiao.
“I know Jonas will be in great shape when he fights me and that would make our fight something to look forward to,” said Ancajas, who is about two inches taller than the Cebu-based puncher.
