LOS ANGELES, California—Only days after his spectacular victory and Jonas Sultan aims for a big time opponent—International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Association bantamweight belt champion Naoya Inoue.
“If he [Inoue] is still avoiding our Filipino champion [Johnriel] Casimero, I’m always available,” the 29-year-old Sultan told BusinessMirror on Wednesday while relaxing in Malibu Beach, California, with manager Junnie Navarro of the Zamboanga Valientes.
Casimero, the other bantamweight world titleholder, has been challenging the undefeated Inoue (21-0 win-loss record with 18 knockouts) since their bout in April 2020 was canceled because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
But it looks like the 28-year-old Inoue has no plan on fighting reigning World Boxing Organization bantamweight champion Casimero (31-4 record with 21 knockouts), who defended his belt last Saturday in a boring split decision win against Cuban Guillermo Rigondeaux.
Sultan (17-5 record with 11 knockouts) returned with a bang also on Saturday by scoring a seventh-round stoppage of American Sharone Carter in their eight-round non-title bantamweight bout, one of the undercards in the Casimero-Guillermo duel at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson City.
“I’m so happy that finally after two years without boxing, I’m back,” said Sultan, who expects a shot at a world title after two more fights.
He thanked coaches Memo Heredia and Jorge Capetillo for molding him to fighting form, as well as Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Eumir Felix Marcial and IBF super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas who helped him train during the pandemic in Los Angeles.
Casimero?
“I can’t fight him, he’s now my stablemate at Senator Manny Pacquiao’s MP Promotions,” he said.
How about World Boxing Council bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr.?
“He’s my idol, nope,” said Sultan, who is supported by Navarro and Mike Venezuela of Zamboanga Valientes MLV.