Philippines, 24 May 2026
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


It’s destiny for Sultan


PhilBoxing.com



Sultan (R) reacts after his win over Caraballo.
Zamboanga del Norte’s Jonas Sultan was set to fight in the undercard of WBO bantamweight champion JohnRiel Casimero’s title defense against No. 1 contender Paul Butler in Liverpool tonight (tomorrow morning, Manila time) but in a stroke of fate, will now face the Englishman for the interim crown. Casimero was disallowed from fighting for violating a British Boxing Board of Control rule against sauna use to reduce weight and the WBO is now assessing whether or not to strip him of the championship. If the throne is declared vacant, Sultan and Butler will dispute the actual, not interim, title.

“We knew Casimero had difficulty making weight,” said MP Promotions head Sean Gibbons who’s in Liverpool. “So we got Jonas a slot in the undercard, thinking if Casimero isn’t able to fight, maybe he could be the replacement since he’s the No. 4 contender. This was meant to be for Jonas, his destiny. He’s prepared for Butler. (Strength and conditioning coach) Memo (Heredia) got him ready training for months in Las Vegas and Jonas arrived in the UK Tuesday last week, even before Casimero.”

GAB chairman Baham Mitra left Manila for Liverpool last Wednesday and will be at ringside for the fight. “We strongly condemn and discourage the commission of any illegal acts or violation of boxing rules,” he said. “We will summon Casimero and his team to shed light on the issue.”

Sultan, 30, said he’s dedicating the fight to his friend Ali Tazeem who died in a car accident last Sunday. Since landing in the UK, Sultan set up training camp in Birmingham with Tazeem’s father Toheed, a boxing coach known as Dr. Tee. Tazeem, 18, is an amateur standout who recently signed a contract to turn pro. He was a passenger in the car that collided with a bus at an intersection in Wolverhampton.

Yorkshire’s Michael Alexander will be the referee with Spain’s Manuel Palomo and Fernando Laguna and the UK’s Howard Foster the judges. The supervisor will be WBO Europe vice chairman John Handelaar of the UK. Gibbons said as far as he’s concerned, there will be only one judge in the fight and that’s Sultan. Working Sultan’s corner will be Gibbons, son Brendan and Irish cutman Andy O’Neill.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joaquin Henson.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Floyd Mayweather Jr files $175 million lawsuit against former associates and advisors
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sun, 24 May 2026
  • Christian Mbilli will defend his WBC super middleweight world title against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez on September 12 in Saudi Arabia!
    , Sun, 24 May 2026
  • Toro Promotions’ Trio victorious in Mexico
    , Sun, 24 May 2026
  • Team USA Continues Dominant Run with 7-0 Performance on Day Six In Colombia
    , Sun, 24 May 2026
  • The Punisher Ultramarathon in Samal on May 30-31
    , Sun, 24 May 2026
  • Paciones fights Laspoña tomorrow at Elorde gym
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 23 May 2026
  • STATEMENT MADE! AMARI “THE REAPER” JONES DEFEATS VINCENZO “IL CAPO” GUALTIERI IN IBF MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD TITLE ELIMINATOR
    , Sat, 23 May 2026
  • Castillano stops Rosales in 1st round
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 23 May 2026
  • ProBoxTV Goes Global This Saturday with Two Action-Packed International Events Broadcast Live on One Sensational Saturday
    , Sat, 23 May 2026
  • Oleksandr Usyk Returns Against Unknown Boxer on RING/DAZN PPV
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 23 May 2026
  • Ayala Lardizabal stops Mama as IBA PRO 18 delivers dramatic night in Mexico City
    , Sat, 23 May 2026
  • MF PRO Launches U.S. Boxing Debut with “Pugilist Revolution” Featuring "H2O" Sylve vs. Joseph “JoJo” Diaz in Southern California Showdown
    , Sat, 23 May 2026
  • Dela Cerna fights Lastimosa on June 21 in Muntilupa
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 23 May 2026
  • USA Boxing Elite High Performance Squad Posts Another Seven-Win Day in Colombia
    , Sat, 23 May 2026
  • 2026 NBA Playoffs: Knicks Beat Cavaliers 109-93 Behind Hart’s Postseason Career-High 26 in East Finals
    By Reylan Loberternos, , Fri, 22 May 2026
  • Rep. Barzaga invited in Bakbakan sa Putatan
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 22 May 2026
  • Weights Set from San Jose: Amari Jones and Vincenzo Gualtieri Cleared for IBF Middleweight Eliminator
    , Fri, 22 May 2026
  • 2026 NBA Playoffs: Gilgeous-Alexander Back to MVP Form as Thunder Top Spurs 122-113 in West Game 2
    By Reylan Loberternos, , Fri, 22 May 2026
  • IBA flag raised at the peak of Mount Everest following historic ascent
    , Fri, 22 May 2026
  • Jacamos fights for vacant WBC Youth World junior fly in South Africa on May 23
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 22 May 2026
  • Lastimosa to fight for vacant PBF Youth light fly crown
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 22 May 2026
  • USA Boxing Elite High Performance Squad Adds Seven Wins on Day Four at 2026 Copa America
    , Fri, 22 May 2026
  • Bohat fights for PBF Silver bantamweight crown
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 21 May 2026
  • AGM Bernardino to hold chess simul in San Manuel, Tarlac
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 21 May 2026
  • JONES VS. GUALTIERI FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE
    , Thu, 21 May 2026




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2026 philboxing.com.