Given the chance to shine again, Jonas Sultan sparkled.
Shrugging off a two-year layoff, Sultan knocked out Sharone Carter in the seventh round on Saturday, August 14 (Sunday, August 15, Philippine time) to give his ring career an extra push.
Sultan, a former world title challenger, wobbled Carter with an overhand right then unloaded a combination to finish off the veteran American in their bantamweight encounter at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
According to Sultan, he was ahead in the scoring when the knockout happened.
"I'm landing more punches and controlling the fight when I saw the opportunity," said Sultan in Filipino. "He never hurt me."
Sultan raised his record to 17-5 with 11 knockouts while pulling down Carter – who boasts a victory over former world champion McJoe Arroyo – to 12-5 with 3 knockouts.
In 2017, Sultan bested World Boxing Organization bantamweight champion Johnriel Casimero in a super flyweight eliminator. But the following year, he yielded a decision to International Boxing Federation super flyweight king Jerwin Ancajas.
The 29-year-old Sultan said he was grateful for the work of trainer Jorge Capetillo and the support provided him by MP (Manny Pacquiao) Promotions president Sean Gibbons and son Brendan as well as benefactors Junnie Navarro and Mike Venezuela of Zamboanga Valientes MLV.
Navarro flew in from Zamboanga City just to show his support for Sultan, being managed by ZC Kings International Boxing Promotions of philanthropist Cory Navarro.
Sultan said he was advised by Gibbons to remain in the United States so that it would be easier for him to arrange another bout for the pride of Tampilisan, Zamboanga del Norte.