ONE-TIME world title challenger Jonas Sultan is bound for the United States and will serve as a sparring partner for former foe International Boxing Federation (IBF) super flyweight king Jerwin Ancajas.
Sultan is currently in Manila and will be leaving for Los Angeles on Oct. 11. He will then join Ancajas and his coach Joven Jimenez in training camp.
“I’ll be leaving for the US on Oct. 11. I’ll be staying at the Survival Camp of Joven Jimenez before leaving for the US,” Sultan told SunStar Cebu.
The 28-year-old Sultan is ecstatic that he’ll be one of the main sparring partners of a world-class fighter like Ancajas.
“I’m very happy because I’ll be able to join him in training. I will learn a lot from Jerwin, especially in how to fight a left-handed fighter because I really have trouble fighting southpaws. I’m really happy that they got me as a sparring partner. It’s a huge help to me,” said Sultan.
Sultan fought Ancajas in an all-Filipino world title fight in 2018. Sultan lost to Ancajas via a lopsided unanimous decision at the Sa Mart Arena in Fresno, California.
Sultan recently signed to Zamboanga-based promotional outfit ZC Kings International Promotions. Despite an offer from Roy Jones Jr. Boxing, Sultan felt that choosing a Filipino-run promotional company was the right decision.
“I signed with them because they had a very good offer and they are Filipino that have a partnership with international promoters. They want to focus on me training outside the Philippines,” said Sultan.
According to ZC Kings Promotions’ Rocky Chan, they are currently negotiating for a famed Mexican trainer to be Sultan’s coach.
Sultan said that, for now, he’ll be training under the guidance of Jimenez and hopes that he’ll soon get a fight in the US.
“I think I’ll get a fight next year. I don’t know their (ZC Kings International Promotions) plan yet but they are planning to give me a fight soon,” he said. “I can be ready to fight by December. That would be enough time for me to train.”
Sultan is 16-5 with 10 knockouts. His last fight was on Aug. 17, 2019, wherein he stopped Salatiel Amit in seven rounds in Ormoc City.
Sultan was once ranked No. 1 in the IBF. He hopes to once again return to the world championship level with his renewed vigor due to his new handlers. (EKA)
