At the age of 27, Jonas is a five-year pro. A contender at 115 rounds – ranked No. 1 by the IBF – he has won five fights in a row, four by knockout, since his last loss in November, 2015.
He has fought 14 times in his native Philippines, two times in Japan, and one time in South Africa.
Jonas has scored decisive wins – his career-best – against former world champions in his last two fights.
In his last fight, an IBF world title eliminator on September 16, 2017, in Cebu City, he won a 12 round unanimous decision against former IBF light flyweight and flyweight world champion John Casimero.
The Ring’s Ryan Songalia reported [excerpts]: Jonas Sultan out-boxed former junior flyweight and flyweight titleholder Johnriel Casimero to a unanimous decision to become the No. 1 contender to the IBF junior bantamweight title currently held by Jerwin Ancajas.
The scores were 117-111, 116-112 and 115-113 for Sultan, potentially setting up the first all-Filipino world title fight since Pancho Villa defended his flyweight title against Clever Sencio in 1925.
Ancajas made his last mandatory defense in July in the Pacquiao-Horn co-feature, meaning he wouldn’t be due for another one until next year. [End Songalia item]
In his post-fight interview, Jonas said, “I adjusted my style with Casimero because he is stylish and very hard to hit. I get his style, so my strategy is more jab and left hooks, so that I can hit him in the face.
“I need to do more practice, and hard practice, because Jerwin Ancajas is very good fighter. He’s a strong fighter and power-puncher.”
In his previous fight on May 7, 2007, in Angono, Philippines, Jonas won by eighth-round knockout against former WBC flyweight world champion Sonny Boy Jaro.
Boxingscene.com reported [excerpts]: Fast-rising Filipino super flyweight prospect Jonas “Zorro” Sultan pulled off another upset knockout win over former WBC world flyweight champion Sonny Boy Jaro, as he successfully defended his IBF Inter-continental super flyweight title for the first time at the Angono Sports Complex.
Sultan recently won the title from South African Makazole Tete in December of last year.
The 25-year old Tampilisan, Zamboanga del Norte, native has been consistently delivering upset knockout wins in his last three fights, adding Jaro as his fourth victim.
Impressively, he has won three of his most recent knockout wins in his opponents’ hometowns: Tatsuya Ikemizu in Japan in March of last year, Makazole Tete in South Africa last December, and Sonny Boy Jaro in Angono, Rizal.
Both Ikemizu and Tete suffered second-round knockouts while Jaro was counted out when he fell off the ring after taking a series of punches from the young Sultan – 2 minutes and 7 seconds into the eighth round of their scheduled title match. [End Boxingscene.com item]
Jonas said through an interpreter that his training camp for this fight was “more than three months at the ALA Boxing Gym in Cebu City.” His sparring partners included Arthur Villanueva, K.J. Cataraja, and JoyJoy Formentera.
He discribes his own style as “box and move,” and considers Jerwin Ancajas ” a stylist fighter.”
Jonas said, “People gave me the nickname ‘Zorro’ because of my punches. They said that my fighting style is mysterious, which many of my opponents as well as my stablemates find hard to anticipate. That’s why they call me Zorro.”
AMATEUR, PERSONAL BACKGROUND: Jonas said through an interpreter, “I was born in Labason, Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines, and I have two brothers and five sisters. My father is a farmer and my mother is a housewife. Two of my brothers are professional boxers. [note: Jonas is the younger brother of 39-year-old welterweight Dondon Sultan, currently 20-23-3, 11 KOs, and the older brother of 24-year-old lightweight Boyce Sultan, currently 9-10-1, 5 KOs]
“I started boxing when I was 14 years old – I just liked boxing. I had 12 amateur fights with 8 wins and 4 losses and won some local tournaments
“I’m naturally fight-handed. I’m married and we have two daughters, two years old and our years old…”
Rappler.com editor Ryan Songalia reported [March 17, 2017 – excerpts]: Jonas Sultan is a rising star in Philippine boxing, though his modest record belies his recent accomplishments. Little is known about Sultan, a Tampilisan, Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines native….
He earned a reputation as a road warrior in 2016, scoring second-round knockouts of once-beaten favorites Tatsuya Ikemizu (in Japan) and Makazole Tete (in South Africa) to create some buzz for his career.
No one can say Sultan is a coddled fighter, and his experiences on the road have made him a hardened veteran before his time.
“It’s the same for me,” said Sultan of fighting on the road. “Because I always think in every fight of mine … I like to be always a challenger. That’s what I’m always thinking when I fight. The challenger is always hungry.”
A boxer since he was 11 years old, Sultan was put into the sport by his father, a trainer, and had a brief 12-fight amateur career (8 wins and 4 losses, he says), fighting mainly in barangay fiestas. He was able to come to the ALA Gym in Cebu City because his older brother, Dondon Sultan, a long-time journeyman in the sport, was based there.
“I didn’t expect that I can be a champion. I just only like to fight for my family and to help them from poverty,” said Sultan.
He suffered two defeats by split-decision within his first 6 fights, and another decision loss in Japan to Go Onaga in 2015. That’s why Sultan relies on his powerful right hand as his judge when he fights.
Robert Eturma, the trainer tasked with preparing Sultan for fights at the ALA Gym, believes the early setbacks made Sultan a better fighter. Now, instead of preparing for fights by himself in the province, he’s mastering his footwork and speed, which Eturma considers his best assets, and submitting to the conditioning program to boost his punching power.
“He improved a lot the maturity on top of the ring. And his power to [knock out fighters with] one punch,” says ALA head trainer Edito Villamor.
And what about the costume he wears when walking to the ring, the concealing black bandana and cape which embellish his entrance and make his “Zorro” nickname work? Does he see in himself the masked crusader who carves up opponents like Don Diego de la Vega, leaving an S instead of a Z on the chests of his foes?
“I don’t think so,” said Sultan, a married father to two daughters. “Only my manager [ALA founder Antonio Aldeguer] gave me the name of Zorro. Maybe it’s all about my style.” He figures he’ll hang on to the nickname for the time being. “For now, I like Zorro because I started with the name of Zorro. Just like a speed fighter.” [End Songlia item]
STRENGTHS: Has good skills and movement…has good punching power…is experienced against good opposition…
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: 5 years, 1 month…17 fights…101 total rounds…
AVERAGE LENGTH OF BOUTS: 5.9 rounds…
KNOCKOUT PERCENTAGE: of total fights – 52 %…of wins – 64 %…
DISTANCE FIGHTS: 12 rounds – 2 (2-0)…10 rounds – 2 (1-1)
