Jonas Sultan (left) and Riku Masuda (right). | Facebook and Tapology photos
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Former world title challenger Jonas “One Punch Zorro” Sultan will fight in the undercard of the Teiken Promotions’ double-header world title bouts on November 15, 2023, at Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan.
The Teiken Promotions-backed fight card already revealed four exciting bouts that includes the Jerwin Ancajas-Takuma Inoue’s WBA world bantamweight title showdown and Artem Dalakian-Seigo Yuri Akui’s WBA world flyweight duel.
Spicing up the undercard is Sultan who will take on Japanese newcomer Riku Masuda in an eight-rounder non-title showdown in the undercard.
Sultan, 32, a well-known road warrior currently based in the United States will make his Japan debut, so as Ancajas who is currently his stablemate under MP Promotions of Manny Pacquiao.
Experience wise, Sultan has the upper hand over Masuda with a record of 19 wins, 11 knockouts, and six defeats.
Sultan is the former WBO Inter-Continental bantamweight champion. He recently won against American Frank Gonzales in Plant City, Florida via an eight-rounder majority decision last September.
Before that, Sultan lost to British Paul Butler for the WBO interim world bantamweight title via a 12-round unanimous decision in Liverpool, England in 2022.
Sultan has also fought some of the biggest names in the bantamweight division including Butler, former three-division world champion John Riel Casimero, Sonny Boy Jaro and even Ancajas in his lone-world title bout in 2018.
In contrast, the younger 26-year-old Masuda, a prospect of Teiken Promotions has just started his pro boxing career. He has a 3-1 (win-loss) record with three knockouts.
Sultan will be his first Filipino opponent and will be his comeback fight following his defeat in the hands of Seiya Tsutsumi for the Japan Boxing Commission bantamweight title in August this year.
However, Masuda’s pro record is somewhat deceiving as he has fought 66 times as an amateur where he won 52 of them in Japan.
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