Jonas Sultan fits the bill as Johnriel Casimero’s sparring partner before the bout with Nonito Donaire
Having two tall sparring partners already, Johnriel Casimero needs another one who can withstand his power, parry his attacks, and throw bombs as well.
Jonas Sultan fits the bill.
Though Sultan is only eye level with Casimero at 5-foot-4, the Zamboangueño will be able to provide the World Boxing Organization bantamweight champion another perspective of how to deal with Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire, the World Boxing Council titlist, when they clash in a unification on Saturday, August 14 (Sunday, August 15), at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
Casimero knows what Sultan is capable of. He lost by unanimous decision in their eliminator for the right to challenge International Boxing Federation super flyweight king Jerwin Ancajas in 2017.
Learning from that setback, Casimero has since racked up six knockout victories, the last against then-unbeaten Ghanaian Duke Micah on September 26 in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Brendan Gibbons, son of MP (Manny Pacquiao) Promotions president Sean Gibbons contacted Sultan who agreed to become a spar mate once again after his scheduled fight in the Philippines this month got canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions. Gibbons is helping out Casimero in his preparations for Donaire.
Sultan also served as main training partner for Jerwin Ancajas, who defended his International Boxing Federation super flyweight crown for the ninth time against Jonathan Rodriguez in April in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Now under ZC Kings International Promotions, Sultan (16-5 with 10 knockouts) said he’s excited to return to the US because the elder Gibbons has promised him a fight in the next three months.
“I’m in prime condition and ready to help out Casimero,” Sultan said in Filipino. “From what I’ve been seeing on videos, he appears to have become even stronger.”
According to sportsman Junie Navarro, who’s handling Sultan’s career with Mike Venezuela, co-owner of Zamboanga Valientes MLV, Sultan will be flying out to Las Vegas on July 3.
There, Sultan will be joining rising star Gabriel Flores Jr. and Amado Vargas, both from Las Vegas, as Casimero’s spar mates.
The 5-foot-9 Flores is 21, and holds a 20-0 slate with 7 knockouts, while the 5-foot-8 Vargas is only 20 with a 2-0 card, 1 by knockout. – Rappler.com
