WAITING FOR SONSONA
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 11 Feb 2015
?Are you aware that there are a lot of sportswriters who don?t want to write about you anymore?? The tone was friendly but these were hard hitting words from Philboxing editor Dong Secuya directed at Marvin Sonsona.
He was pensive for a few seconds then shrugged his shoulders and continued to wrap his hands for his sparring session. This happened last year, when Sonsona was preparing for his rematch against Puerto Rican Wilfredo Vazquez,Jr., who gave the Gen.Santos City southpaw his only career loss.
To be honest, I was one of those sportswriters.
I had to dragged from Pasay City to ride on the dreaded MRT across EDSA to Quezon City and chase a taxi just to be on time to watch Sonsona spar with world ranked Thai Padjai Yongyuthgym and Edgar Gabejan, the Philippine super featherweight titlist, inside Dr.Rajan Yraola?s gym.
This was despite the fact that Sonsona a few months earlier came up with a KO of the Year performance against Akifumi Shimoda of Japan. I could still remember his repeated promises to boxing scribes that he would mend his ways; statements that he kept repeating for the past four years and yet, still turned out to be a habitual absentee in training camp.
In his own way, Sonsona showed us why we took the time to go through the hellish Metro Manila traffic. Despite the fact that he still looked out of shape,he toyed with his sparring partners and made them look like amateurs.
The talent, high skill level and ring smarts were all there. His work ethic still leaves much to be desired.
His split verdict win against Vazquez was unspectacular and he carried on with another disappearing act for the rest of 2014.
IS MEMO A GOOD FIT FOR MARVIN?
The former WBO world superflyweight champ is in the United States with Trainer Jhun Agrabio and another former champ Johnriel Casimero.
They will train with Angel ?Memo? Heredia Hernandez, whose name carries a bit of notoriety among Filipino fans because he was the strength and conditioning coach of Juan Manuel Marquez for the Mexican?s fourth fight against Manny Pacquiao.
It is obvious that Sonsona (19W-1L-1D,15KO?s) has a tendency to bloat in between fights and looks like an underfed adolescent when he enters the ring. But the problem is more mental than physical. Heredia may be successful is changing Sonsona?s body, but can he change the prodigal boxer?s attitude?
There are boxing insiders in the Philippines who are still hoping that he will change. The fact that International matchmaker Sampson Lewkowicz, Promoter Sammy Gello-ani, manager Dr.Rajan Yraola and Trainer Jhun Agrabio have stretched their patience for the past five years is testament to Sonsona?s natural ability and potential.
I started writing about Sonsona when he was a second year pro in 2008 and fighting almost every month in Cebu. The number of Filipino boxers I have seen with the same talent level are less than the fingers of my hand.
He is now 24 years old. The 19 year old phenom who captured a world title in his 14th professional fight - even if at that point in time he had never gone past the fifth round in his career - may still be there.
But for how long will he keep us waiting?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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