REDONDO BEACH, Calif.?Being just a step short of the summit, Jonas Sultan isn?t about to let a golden chance go to waste.
He believes ring smarts, sustained hard training and superb conditioning will enable him to topple International Boxing Federation super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas when they tangle on May 26 at Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif.
?I?m happy that I?ve come this far. I?m already 100 percent conditioned and I?ll show what I?ve got in the ring,? said Sultan, the mandatory challenger whose amateur background pales in comparison with that of Ancajas, a two-time national champion and former Palarong Pambansa gold medalist.
Officially, Sultan only has 14 amateur fights while Ancajas has 95 with only 5 defeats.
Their professional records also favor Ancajas (29-1-1, with 20 knockouts) over Sultan 14-3, 9 KOs.
?I think I am smarter in the ring and my training is at the highest level,? the 26-year-old Sultan said in Filipino Saturday morning.
?I?ve sacrificed a lot for this fight,? added Sultan, baring that he?d not seen his wife and 2 children, who are in Zamboanga del Norte, for 5 months in order not to disrupt training.
?I missed them very much, but I have to focus on my training and the fight as we want to give the fans a memorable encounter.?
Shorter by 2 inches than 5-foot-6 Ancajas, Sultan intends to compensate with his shiftiness and power punches.
Admitting that he and Ancajas are no longer communicating on Facebook, Sultan said they would resume contact once the fight is over.
