Sultan returns to US for training in pursuit of world title

MANILA, Philippines – Rising bantamweight contender Jonas Sultan is back in the United States to solidify his bid to a shot at a world title.
 
The Zamboanga City-native Sultan — rated No. 4 by the World Boxing Organization and No. 7 by the World Boxing Association — left for the US Saturday night after spending the holidays in a posh Cavite house owned by Zamboanga Valientes owner Junnie Navarro.
 
The 30-year-old Sultan, who spent his entire Philippine vacation together with his family, will be joining stablemate and current world super flyweight kingpin Jerwin Ancajas in Los Angeles, California.
 
“While he is coming off a remarkable win last October in New York, Jonas is more eager to score another spectacular win for his next fight as he is getting a lot of inspiration from his newly-born child and hopefully, that next fight would be for a world title,” said Navarro, who manages Sultan.
 
Fighting as a heavy underdog in his last bout, Sultan (18-5, 11 knockouts) floored erstwhile unbeaten Carlos Caraballo of Puerto Rico four times en route to a 10-round unanimous decision win on October 30, 2021 at the famed Madison Square Garden in New York.
 
“Last December pa tuloy tuloy na training ko at kahit na nanganak misis ko, tuloy pa din training kasi ang isip ko dapat ready ako anytime na bigyan ng chance sa world title,” said Sultan who snatched the WBO Intercontinental crown in beating Caraballo.
 
While in Los Angeles, Sultan will serve as one of the main sparmates of Ancajas, who is scheduled to defend his IBF crown against Fernando Martinez of Argentina on February 27 (Manila time) in Las Vegas.
 
Currently, there are three holders of four bantamweight titles, two of them Filipinos namely Nonito Donaire Jr. (WBC ) and Johnriel Casimero (WBO).
 
Sultan hopes to challenge the third titleholder — Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue, who owns the WBA and IBF belts.
 
“Si Inoue ang gusto ko kasi hindi maganda para sa akin na Pinoy vs. Pinoy ang maglaban sa world title. Pero kung ano talaga ang mas magandang laban, handa lang ako,” added Sultan, who is now solidly backed by Go For Gold, Globalport, MLV Accounting and Finn Cotton.