Jonas Sultan in excellent shape but lacked instructions from his corner in loss vs Paul Butler, says analyst

Former world title challenger Jonas Sultan was in tip-top shape but simply lacked the strategy to win his fight against Paul Butler, said veteran boxing analyst Ed Tolentino.

Sultan, 31, replaced John Riel Casimero and fought Butler last weekend for the WBO interim bantamweight title at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, where the local favorite had put on a boxing clinic for 12 rounds en route to winning the title.

"Sultan was in excellent shape but lacked strategy. His weakness is a boxer, a clever boxer will always outbox Sultan. Carlos Caraballo brawled, but Butler did not give him that opportunity. Butler had good spacing he made Sultan chase him," said Tolentino.

"He was trying to go for the body but he was trying to force the issue. There were no traps nor feints which made it difficult for him. A boxer's corner should be as fluid as an orchestra with all the right pieces functioning especially for Sultan."

Sultan, whose cornermen were MP Promotions President Sean Gibbons and his son Brendan, needed instructions between rounds, said the respected analyst. A proper strategy was never given to the fighter, according to Tolentino, and Sultan ultimately paid the price for the flaw.

"We saw in the early rounds that Butler's style has a template, so what will you do? In the third round, Sultan was able to land but that was far and between," Tolentino said.

"He was one-dimensional and his punches were being read by Butler. That is where he needed his corner for a plan. He danced to the tune of Butler all throughout."

—MGP, GMA News