DONDON Sultan found his reign at the World Boxing Foundation (WBF) short-lived when he lost his welterweight title to French challenger Hamza Issa (Sunday RP time) in a controversial stoppage at the ninth round at the Salle Edgard Quinet, Calais, Pas de Calais, France.
Following confusing reports posted by philboxing.com about the result of Sultan’s fight, Sultan’s manager Sammy Gello-ani confirmed that his ward indeed lost by a technical knockout to Issa at the 9th round.
“Sultan lost the belt by TKO on the ninth round,” Gello-ani told Sun.Star Cebu yesterday.
Gello-ani who accompanied Sultan together with British trainer Tony Martin who stood as the cornerman to France, however, was proud of Sultan’s achievement despite the defeat.
“I am proud for Sultan because he fought like a champion. He fought toe-to-toe but unfortunately ran out of wind because he came in overweight. But Issa did not have walk in the park. He was in trouble on the fifth round and literally he was just saved by the bell because he was just a punch away from falling,” explained Gello-ani.
However, the Frenchman took the edge as he delivered more blows and Gello-ani admitted that his boy was behind on points prior to the stoppage.
“Maybe the referee was thinking that Sultan was behind on points that’s why he stopped the fight. If only he knew the fighting style of Dondon he could have let him continue the fight. After he was being hit by a punch, minutes gone by of the ninth, he stayed at the rope and was doing defense when the referee stopped the contest. And I would like to mention this, there was no knockout, Dondon was not knocked down before the fight was stopped,” stressed Gello-ani.
Judges Alain Paquer of France scored 78-74; Allain Hemelaars of Belgium gave 77-75 and Powell Kardyni of Poland tallied 79-73 all for Issa before the stoppage.
For now, Gello-ani is contemplating to promote the rematch between Sultan and Issa here in Cebu City before he would schedule the Labason, Zamboanga Del Norte native puncher a fight in the US.
“No, I will still give him a schedule to fight in the US but I will still schedule him a title fight here before he will go to America. Probably a rematch with Issa, because I already had an initial talk with him and his manager,” Gello-ani added.
Meanwhile, Filipino Juanito Rubillar kept his Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) light flyweight belt after scoring a knockout at the 2:42 mark of the fifth round over Ken Nakajima of Japan at the Nishiwari Ward Gym in Osaka, Japan also last Sunday. (RCM)
