Filipino boxer Jonas Sultan and English opponent Paul Butler made their respective weights Thursday, April 21 ahead of their World Boxing Organization (WBO) interim bantamweight title clash at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, England.
Sultan tipped the scales at 117.6 lbs while Butler weighed in at 117.8 lbs for the scheduled main event on Friday, April 21 there (early Saturday morning in Manila).
Sultan, under the care of MP (Manny Pacquaio) Promotions, served as a last-minute replacement for the embattled John Riel Casimero, who is the reigning WBO bantamweight champion.
Casimero figured in another controversy for allegedly violating weight cut and medical guidelines.
The Filipino champion allegedly used a sauna just days prior to the title bout, a measure prohibited by the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBoC). This prompted the BBBoC and the WBO to rule out Casimero's eligibility to compete against Butler.
Casimero's camp has yet to make a statement regarding the matter.
READ: GAB to probe Casimero's medical guidelines violation
Casimero's loss, however, became Sultan's gain as the No. 4 ranked WBO fighter just inched closer to a possible shot at a world title.
Though the contest against Butler was set as an interim, the Zamboanga City native is out to prove that he's worthy of becoming a champion.
The 30-year-old Sultan last saw action last October 2021 with a unanimous decision win over Carlos Caraballo to improve at 18-5 record on top of 11 knockouts.
He also bagged the vacant WBO Intercontinental bantamweight title in the process.
Butler, for his part, boasts a seven-match win streak with the most recent against Willibaldo Garcia last June 2021 via split decision.
The English pugilist climbed to a 33-2 slate with 15 knockouts at hand and also captured the vacant WBO International bantamweight title.