Sultan believes all pressure is on champ Ancajas during All-Filipino world-title showdown
For Jonas “Zorro” Sultan of ALA Boxing Gym, there’s no problem being the underdog.
Sultan is pegged the underdog in his world-title showdown against fellow Filipino and defending International Boxing Federation (IBF) world Super Flyweight champion Jerwin “Pretty Boy” Ancajas on May 26 at the Selland Arena in Fresno, California.
“It’s better to be the underdog because the pressure is not on my side, it’s on him (Ancajas) because he’s the champion, he’s the one defending the title,” said the 26-year-old Sultan of Tampilisan, Zamboanga del Norte, in a press conference yesterday at the Park Social in Cebu IT Park.
Sultan, the former International Boxing Federation Inter-Continental Super Flyweight champion, has a record of 14 wins and three losses with nine wins by knockouts. The champion Ancajas sports a 29-1-1 (win-loss-draw) record with 20 knockout victories, making him the favorite in this bout.
Sultan earned the right to face Ancajas when he beat two-division world champion Johnriel Casimero last year by unanimous decision in a world title eliminator.
Joining Sultan in the press conference yesterday were his trainer Edmund Villamor and ALA Promotions International matchmaker Edito Villamor. Sultan and Edmund Villamor are expected to depart for the United States today.
“I will leave early so that my body can adjust to the time zone and also to acclimatize there and also to spar with foreign boxers,” Sultan said.
Sultan said that he is ready for whatever Ancajas will bring inside the ring.
“If he wants to fight me toe to toe, I am ready for it. If he wants to fight technically, I am ready for it. I will make sure that I will win the fight either by knockout or by decision,” said Sultan, who has already victimized two world champions in Sonny Boy Jaro and Casimero.
The upcoming Sultan-Ancajas world-title showdown is considered a historic event in Philippine boxing. The last time an all-Filipino world title clash happened was 93 years ago when world featherweight king Pancho Villa beat Clever Sencio in Metro Manila in 1925.
Ancajas and his team will leave for the US on May 15th.