By Ronnie Nathanielsz
The Philippines Dondon Sultan is set to defend his WBF welterweight title against Frenchman Hamza Issa in Calais, France on June 15.
Well known boxing promoter and manager Sammy Gello-ani informed Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today after he was informed that Australia’s “Promoter of the Year” Peter Maniatis , the manager of former Australian champion Shannon McMahon challenged Sultan to defend his title against the rugged Austraalian. Maniatis said he was even prepared to fight Sultan in the Philippines.
Maniatis said he had spoken to WBF president Mick Croucher about sanctioning a Sultan-McMahon fight and predicted that with McMahon’s record of 12-1 “it would make a great fight.” Maniatis said he had a June 29 date with Australian TV and invited Sultan saying “let’s get it on.”
But Gello-ani said he had already firmed up the fight with Issa who has a record of 12-5-4 with 5 knockouts as against Sultan who sports a 14-7-2m 7 KO’s record. Issa is 29 years old while Sultan is one year younger.
Issa is the reigning WBF Intercontinental welterweight champion having won the vacant title on April 28 last year in a fight against Turgay Uzun and has since made two successful defenses the last one on March 30 when he scored a unanimous twelve round decision over George Ungiadze.
Sultan, on the other hand, won the WBF title with a unanimous twelve round decision over Australian Eddie “Psycho” Delic on November 25 last year in Singapore. Sultan also won the Pan Asia Boxing Association welterweight crown with a spectacular first round knockout of Russian Anton Solopov in Surgut, Russia on May 20, 2006.
