Has success gone into the head of Marvin Sonsona?
Well, his promoter, Sammi Gello-ani, is keeping his fingers crossed.
"I hope not. That's why we're giving him a chance. We don't want to give up on him," he said.
Sonsona made noise when he won took the WBO super-flyweight crown from Puerto Rico's Jose Lopez in Ontario, Canada last September and at 19 became one of the youngest Filipino world champion ever.
But his reign at the top did not last long. He was stripped of the title just two months after after failing to make weight for his defense against Mexico's Alejandro Hernandez. The bout pushed through but ended in a draw.
Sonsona found reasons for his failure to make weight, even saying that he has grown so fast that it would almost impossible for him to make 115 lb. He said it was time for him to move up in weight, and that's what he did.
On Feb. 27, the 5-foot-7 Filipino nicknamed "Marvelous," and who has the skills to make it to the world stage, will take on another Puerto Rican, the 17-0 Wilfredo Vasquez Jr., at the Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez in Puerto Rico.
It will be for the vacant WBO super-bantamweight (122 lb) title and Sonsona, also undefeated in 14 fights, has been training for nearly three weeks now in the United States under Nonito Donaire Jr.
Before he left for the US last Jan. 6, Sonsona gave his handlers some terrible headache because twice he postponed his flight from his hometown in General Santos City to Manila in time for the flight to the US.
Gello-Ani said on one occasion, he went to Sonsona's home in General Santos City at 8 a.m. just in time for a 10 o'clock flight to Manila, only to find the tall and shifty fighter in bed.
"He asked me if we could leave the next day instead because he wanted to sleep," said the promoter of the former world champion who just loves to party and stay out late at night.
Still, Gello-Ani isn't giving up on him.
"Bata pa kasi (He's still young)," he said. "He just turned 19 last July so let's give him a chance. There were days when he told me he wanted to quit boxing because he's been boxing all his life."
Sonsona comes from a very poor family, and upon his return from Ontario last September, as the world champion, he said all he wanted was to give his parents and his siblings a taste of the good life.
"Now he's gotten a taste of the good life and he wants to quit," said Gello-Ani, adding that Sonsona signed a contract for $25,000 for the Lopez fight and $50,000 for the Alejandro fight where he lost the crown.
"Nakatikim na ng sarap eh. Ayaw na daw niya. But we're not supposed to give up on him. We're giving him two years to mature. But I told him that in those two years he needs to fight," said his promoter.
"I told him that it may be too late for him if he quits now and decides to make a comeback when he runs out of money. May pera pa kasi kaya nakaka-ag-isip umayaw. Paano kung ubos ba ang pera? Hahanap ulit 'yan."
Gello-Ani said he promised Sonsona a good fight contract for the Velasquez, and he's happy to hear news that he's been training hard in the US.
"That's a very good sign. I would rather see him stay there because for him, there are less distractions there than when he's here at home. I just hope he puts everything into his mind," said Gello-Ani.
Or maybe,yes, it's time to give up.
No comments:
Post a Comment