JONAS Sultan arrived in Los Angeles on Saturday morning for the final phase of his training for a shot at a first ever world championship.
The Filipino challenger to compatriot Jerwin Ancajas’ International Boxing Federation (IBF) super-flyweight title left Manila on Friday night bound for Hollywood, accompanied by three-time world champion Donnie Nietes and trainer Edmund Villamor.
Sultan, 26, is expected to take a rest for the weekend following the 13-hour flight to LA, but is expected to plunge into training by Monday at the Wild Card gym of Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach.
ALA boxing stable head trainer Edito Villamor will follow suit next week as he’s still supervising the conditioning of brothers Albert and Jason Pagara for the coming 44th edition of Pinoy Pride in Maasin, Leyte on June 9.
“Tama lang 'yung time frame sir ng alis ni Sultan. Three weeks before the fight,” said Villamor of Sultan’s early departure for the US for his May 26 title match against Ancajas at the Selland Arena in Fresno, California.
Ancajas (29-1-1, 20 KOs) and his entourage led by trainer Joven Jimenez won’t be leaving for California until May 15.
Nietes will be training along with Sultan (14-3, 9 KOs) as he begins his strength and conditioning for a possible title match against countryman Aston Palicte.
The World Boxing Organization (WBO) recently ordered a fight between the two Filipinos for the vacant super-flyweight crown left by Japanese champion Naoya Inoue.
Handlers of both Nietes and Palicte are now negotiating for the bout tentatively planned for a July staging in the country.
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