Paul Butler and Jonas Sultan during weigh-ins ahead of their fight. PROBELLUM VIDEO
MANILA, Philippines — Filipino boxer Jonas Sultan vows to make the most of his opportunity as a late-minute replacement to challenge Paul Butler for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) interim bantamweight title on Saturday (Manila time) at Echo Arena in Liverpool, England.
“He’s a good fighter. I know he’s good and I saw him fight. I saw his fights and learned a lot on how to fight him,” said Sultan in the Probellum Liverpool press conference.
“This is my time,” he added.
Sultan, who replaced compatriot John Riel Casimero as ordered by the WBO Championship Committee after the latter violated the British Boxing Board of Control’s medical guidelines for using a sauna to make weight, weighed in at 117.6 pounds.
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Butler tipped the scales at 117.8 pounds ahead of their main event clash.
The 30-year-old Filipino boxer is offering his upcoming fight to the late teenage boxer Ali Tazeem, who was recently killed in a car crash, and his grieving father, Toheed, known as Dr. Tee.
“I dedicate this fight to my friend Ali Tazeem and to his father Dr. Tee. I’m sad for his lost but I’m motivated to fight,” Sultan said.
Sultan, the fourth-ranked bantamweight by the WBO, holds a 18-5 record with 11 knockouts after winning his last three fights including a unanimous decision victory over Puerto Rican Carlos Caraballo for the WBO intercontinental title October last year in New York.
“This is a big opportunity for me. I trained hard every day so this will be a great fight. And to Paul Butler, I say good luck to both of us,” he said.
Butler, on the other hand, won his last seven matches, holding a 33-2 record with 15 knockouts.
“I’m going to have to stop him,” said the English boxer.