Ancajas, Sultan in early face-off

International Boxing Federation (IBF) super-flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas was so prim and proper during the 18th Elorde Boxing Awards Sunday night that one would think he was answering questions usually associated with beauty pageants: One of 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, a couple of months before they face each other.

Top Rank chief Bob Arum is in the process of setting the date and location of Ancajas’ fifth defense of the IBF 115-lb crown with San Francisco, Los Angeles and Las Vegas probably hosting 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 in 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 Okada Hotel Manila.

“I know Jonas will be in great shape when he fights me and that would make our fight something to look forward to,” added Ancajas, who is about two inches taller than the Cebu-based puncher.

Sultan, who admitted feeling embarrassed standing beside Ancajas, insists that while he doesn’t harbor any ill feelings about Ancajas, he has a job to do in the ring.

“Nothing personal, (it’s purely) business,” said Sultan, who also received an award during the banquet that had eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao as main guest and speaker.