SULTAN READY TO FACE ANCAJAS IN THE FIRST TITLE FIGHT BETWEEN FILIPINOS IN 93 YEARS
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 05 Mar 2018
The camp of Jonas Sultan is ready to face Jerwin Ancajas if the ALA Gym fighter is mandated to challenge for his countryman's International Boxing Federation (IBF) superflyweight title. Top Rank Promotions is planning to replace the aborted Manny Pacquiao versus Mike Alvarado showdown on April 14 with the Ancajas-Sultan title fight.
Trainer Edito Villamor emphasized the 26-year-old Sultan earned the right to dispute Ancajas for his title belt and should be given the opportunity to contest for the world title, even if the title bout is between two Filipino fighters.
Sultan was qualified for a shot at Ancajas' title by virtue of a 12-round unanimous decision win against former two-time world champion John Riel Casimero during their title eliminator last year at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino, Cebu City.
At first, ALA Boxing Promotions president Michael Aldeguer was negative about the plan of two Filipino boxers clashing in a world championship. He later on gave his approval of the IBF-mandated title fight.
Sultan has a record of 14 wins with 9 KOs, and 3 losses. He lost to Rolando Servania by split decision, Jonathan Franciso by split decision and Japan's Go Onaga by unanimous decision.
Villamor said that its OK for them if the fight against Ancajas will push through. Initially, they were hesitant after the Sultan-Casimero match, as if they were not happy to rumble with a countryman.
"But it's a big opportunity for Sultan to face Jerwin," Villamor added. "According to Jerwin himself, Sultan worked so hard to become his mandatory challenger."
If ever, this will only be the first time two Filipino fighters clash for a world title since the first Filipino world champion Pancho Villa beat Clever Sencio of Leyte by unanimous decision for the world flyweight crown in 1925.
Ancajas (29-1, 20KOs) is fresh from a 10th-round stoppage of Mexican Israel Gonzalez in a successful defense of his IBF title in his U.S. debut at the American Bank Center in Texas.
Sultan was born in Tampilisan, Zamboanga del Norte and held the IBF intercontinental junior bantamweight title since December 2016 by defeating South Africa's Makazole Tete. As of December 2017, he is ranked No. 10 junior bantamweight in the world by The Ring and No. 8 by BoxRec.
The orthodox stanced Sultan, nicknamed "Zoro," has defeated two Japanese foes Kazuma Ejiri and Tatsuya Ikemizu, both by KO.
Sultan also stopped former WBC, The Ring and lineal flyweight world champion Sonny Boy Jaro by 8th round KO for the IBF intercontinental super flyweight title last year.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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