FILIPINO bantamweight boxer Jonas Sultan emerged victorious over Puerto Rican Carlos Caraballo in their 10-round showdown at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York, Sunday (Manila time).
Zamboanga del Norte native Mr. Sultan, 29, proved to be a tough nut to crack for erstwhile undefeated Mr. Caraballo, sending the latter to the canvas four times en route to the unanimous decision victory that netted for him the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) Intercontinental bantamweight title. All three judges scored the fight, 94-93, in his favor.
Mr. Sultan knocked down Mr. Carballo in the second and third rounds, but the Puerto Rican would bounce back each time.
But the MP Promotions fighter was unrelenting in his push in the succeeding rounds, landing a right hand in the sixth that sent his opponent down for the third time.
The two boxers brought it against each other in the next two rounds before Mr. Sultan knocked down Mr. Caraballo in the ninth round with a left hook.
Mr. Caraballo survived the onslaught and was able to send the match to the judges’ scoreboard which unfortunately for him all went for Mr. Sultan in the end.
The win was Mr. Sultan’s third straight victory and second for this year. He previously defeated American Sharone Carter by knockout in August. Mr. Sultan now sports an 18-5 (11 KOs) record.
Mr. Caraballo, meanwhile, dropped to a 14-1 record. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo