MANILA, Philippines – Jonas Sultan barely has time to shake off jetlag before plunging back to work in the United States.

Arriving in Los Angeles Saturday night January 29 (Sunday, January 30, Philippine time), Sultan will spar with Jerwin Ancajas on Monday at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood.

Helping Ancajas hit optimum form and be familiar with the style of unbeaten Argentine Fernando Martinez will be Sultan’s priority for the moment as he has no scheduled fight yet.

While Ancajas has sparred with new WBC flyweight king Mark Magsayo and former world title contender Jeo Santisima, Sultan, the WBO intercontinental bantamweight champion, fits better as a partner player because he and Martinez (13-0 with 8 knockouts) are both aggressors and are almost of the same height, with the 5-foot-4 Zamboangueno just half an inch taller.

For another, Sultan also knows how Ancajas moves having lost to the longtime IBF super flyweight champion in 2018 and serving as Ancajas’ spar mate in his ninth successful title defense against Mexican Jonathan Rodriguez last year.

No wonder, Ancajas, trainer Joven Jimenez, and promoter Brendan Gibbons welcomed him back at the Tom Bradley International Airport.

Upon seeing Sultan, Jimenez said he looked in shape and could spar with Ancajas right away.

Ancajas also trained with and gave Sultan pointers for his highly praised bout against the then-unbeaten knockout artist Carlos Caraballo last October 30 at the Madison Square Garden in New York.

Sultan pulled off a major shocker when he knocked down the Puerto Rican four times to clinch the 118-pound belt.

Accompanied by his manager Junie Navarro, Sultan returned to the Philippines for a brief vacation that got extended because he waited for the birth of his fourth child three weeks back.

Sultan, however, made sure to keep in shape by running and training in Silang, Cavite, where Navarro provided the Sultans with a fully equipped house.

Apart from the Navarro family of Zamboanga City, Sultan is being supported by MLV Group’s Mike Venezuela, Globalport, and 1Pacman Partylist through Deputy House Speaker Mikee Romero, Go for Gold’s Jeremy Go, Big Boss Cement, and Finn Cotton Shoes.

Before his departure for Los Angeles, Sultan said he is highly motivated and is prepared for another long stay in the US as MP (Manny Pacquiao) Promotions president Sean Gibbons is still searching for a suitable opponent.

Unbeaten Gary Antonio Russell (19-0, 12 KOs), piqued by the loss of his younger brother Gary Jr. to Magsayo on January 22, has issued a challenge to members of the MP stable to fight him next.

Sultan is willing to grant Russell’s wish, but is leaving the decision to Gibbons.

For now, his focus is on helping Ancajas retain the crown he has held since 2016. – Rappler.com