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Philippines, 23 Mar 2026 |
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MASAM SPORTS 30: JONAS SULTAN EYES WORLD TITLE SHOT, PREFERS NAOYA INOUE By Maloney L. Samaco PhilBoxing.com Thu, 03 Feb 2022  World bantamweight campaigner Jonas Sultan buckles down and goes back to training in the United States as he eyes a world title shot in the bantamweight division. Sultan (18-5, 11KOs) arrived in the US after a short vacation at home with his family. “I’ve been training since December, it didn’t stop even when my wife gave birth because I know I have to be ready anytime I’m given a chance for the world title,” said Sultan as quoted by Inquirer Sports. He seized the WBO intercontinental bantamweight title on October 30 at the Madison Square Garden in New York and caught the attention of the entire boxing world. He dealt Carlos Caraballo his first career loss in a thriller of a fight. Sultan unleashed thundering flurry of punches knocking down Caraballo four times en route to a unanimous decision win. Sultan is now rated No. 4 by the World Boxing Organization and No. 7 by the World Boxing Association in the bantamweight division. The 30-year-old Tampilisan, Zamboanga del Norte native prefers a crack at one of the top pound-for-pound fighters of the world Japanese Naoya Inoue, who holds the IBF and WBA (Super) titles. He does not want to fight the other two bantamweight titleholders WBC champion Nonito Donaire and WBO champion John Riel Casimero. “I want Inoue because I don’t want two Filipinos fighting for the world title. But I am ready for whatever fight will be good,” declared Sultan. Currently he practices as one of Jerwin Ancajas’ sparring partners at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood. Ancajas will defend his IBF junior bantamweight belt against Fernando Martinez of Argentina on February 22 in Las Vegas. Sultan is an aggressive fighter and practically of the same height as the Argentinian challenger. Sultan has no definite schedule and opponent yet so he gives prime concern to assisting Ancajas peak to competitive form and be fully prepared for the undefeated Martinez (13-0, 8 KOs). Ancajas (33-1-2, 22 KOs) has sparred with the new WBC flyweight champion Mark Magsayo and world rated featherweight contender Jeo Santisima. But Sultan has similar fighting style and size as Martinez and was Ancajas’ sparring partner in his victorious title defense over Mexico's Jonathan Rodriguez last year. Sultan is very familiar with Ancajas' fighting form having fought and lost to the longtime IBF super flyweight champion on May 26, 2018 at the Savemart Center, Fresno, U.S. by unanimous decision and they have since become close friends. Sultan says he is returning the favor to Ancajas and will help him train and assist coach Joven Jimenez for the fight. He said Jerwin was a huge help when he won against Caraballo and now he will return the help Ancajas gave him. After his victory over Caraballo, Sultan returned to the Philippines for a short vacation but extended it due to the birth of his fourth child. MP (Manny Pacquiao) Promotions president Sean Gibbons is still searching for an appropriate opponent for Sultan. Gary Antonio Russell (19-0, 12 KOs), wants to avenge the loss of his younger brother Gary Russell Jr. to Magsayo and challenged the boxers of the MP Promotions stable to fight him. Sultan is more than willing to face Russell, but is giving in to the final decision of Gibbons. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.  |
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