JONAS Sultan is certainly a huge underdog against a budding superstar like International Boxing Federation (IBF) super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas.
Although the odds are stacked against the challenger, Sultan’s corner is convinced that it’ll be his hand that will be raised today at the Save Mart Arena in Fresno, California in a historic all-Filipino world championship fight that hasn’t been done in 93 years.
“After the weigh-in, we are 100 percent confident that Jonas will win. If he can deliver the game plan (we’ll win), and knowing Jonas, he’ll deliver,” ALA Gym head coach Edito Villamor told SunStar Cebu.
Ancajas tipped the scales at 114.8 pounds, while Sultan was a little bit lighter at 114.4 pounds.
Sultan has already had his share of upset wins. He got noticed in the national scene after a shocking eighth round knockout of former world champion Sonny Boy Jaro last year. The 26-year-old finally solidified his status as a contender with a unanimous decision over two-division world champion Johnriel Casimero a few months later.
“It depends on how Jerwin will fight tomorrow (today) because Sultan can easily adjust to his opponents. His last two fights against (Johnriel) Casimero and (Sonny Boy) Jaro were a huge help,” said Villamor.
Casimero couldn’t figure out Sultan and convincingly lost by scores of 112-116, 111-117 and 113-115.
“Yes, there is a possibility (of a knockout) because Jonas has power, and if he times it right it could happen,” said Villamor.
The 26-year-old Ancajas had a quick accent into prominence and is in the brink of super stardom. Some have even dubbed him as the next Manny Pacquiao.
Ancajas won the IBF belt with a lopsided unanimous decision over McJoe Arroyo in 2016. He then stopped his next four challengers - Jose Alfredo Rodriguez (7th RTD), Teiru Kinoshita (7th TKO), Jaime Conlan (6th TKO) and Israel Gonzalez (10th TKO).
Ancajas is 29-1-1 with 20 knockouts, while Sultan is 14-3 with nine knockouts.
Villamor believes that the winner of the fight will be the one that wants it more.
“We will know who really wants to win the fight in the first round.” (EKA)