SONSONA LEAVES FOR CANADA TODAY
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 25 Aug 2009
Cebu City -- Filipino rising star 'Marvelous' Marvin Sonsona leaves today for Ontario, Canada via San Francisco to embark on a historic shot to become the youngest Filipino boxing world champion in history when he challenges reigning WBO superfly champion Jose 'Carita' Lopez of Puerto Rico at the Casino Rama in Ontario on Sep. 4.
Sonsona will be accompanied by trainer Nonito Donaire, Sr. where they will take Philippine Airlines' PR 104 flight from Manila to San Francisco tonight and then take a United Airlines flight to Ontario after a brief stopover in San Franciso. The duo are expected to arrive early Wednesday morning in Ontario.
Team Sonsona, which includes trainer Jun Agrabio, manager Dr. Rajan Yraola and wife, Donaire Sr. and Sonsona, were supposed to leave last Saturday but got derailed when their Canadian visas did not arrive on time. Agrabio and the Yraolas will follow on Thursday on a direct flight from Manila to Ontario.
"Sonsona has still have 9 days to acclimatize in Canada. I think that is still enough," says promoter Sammy Gello-ani who nurtured Sonsona's career in the last two years where Sonsona racked up a perfect 13-0 record with 12 knockouts capped by a sensational 2nd-round knockout victory over former title-holder Wandee Singwancha of Thailand last May 28 at the Cebu Coliseum. Gello-ani himself is leaving for Canada on Aug. 31.
At 19 years and two months at fight time on Sep. 4, Sonsona will become the Philippines' youngest champion if he dethrones Lopez, overtaking Ben Villaflor who became a world champion at 19 years and five months on April 25, 1972 when Villaflor defeated Alfredo Marcano for the WBA Super Featherweight title. Filipino ring hero Manny Pacquiao also captured his first title at 19 years old when he defeated Chatchai Sasakul of Thailand on Dec. 4, 1998 but Pacquiao was only 13 days shy of his 20th birthday at that time.
The Lopez-Sonsona bout will headline the 'Rumble at Rama IX' at Casino Rama in Rama, Ontario. Co-headlining the event are former Canadian world champion Steve Molitor who goes up against Paraguayan veteran Dario Azuaga and undefeated Canadian heavyweight Greg Kielsa who takes on Kevin Montiy in what promises to be an explosive night of boxing in Ontario, Canada.
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