SONSONA, MORALES TO REENERGIZE FILIPINO-CANADIAN BOXING FANS
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 22 Oct 2009
WBO Jr. Bantamweight World champ, 19 year-old “Marvelous” Marvin Sonsona (14-0, 12 KO’s) finally arrived in Cebu and reported to the Yanie Sta. Cruz Stable Boxing gym Wednesday afternoon. He will have his first full day of training in Talisay City on Thursday under the tutelage of Nonito Donaire, Sr.
Sonsona will return to Ontario, Canada this November for the first defense of his title against Alejandro “Payasito” Hernandez (22-7-1, 11 KO’s) of Mexico City. Casino Rama will once again host the bout which will headline the tenth edition of RUMBLE AT RAMA on November 21.
Another Pinoy boxer, Ciso “Kid Terrible” Morales (13-0, 8 KO's) will fight in the undercard against Miguel Angel Gonzales Piedras (10-1, 4 KO's) of Mexico. Morales has already started his training under Jojo Palacios and Donaire. Morales looked bloated and sluggish after nine months away from the ring. He said that he injured his right hand and decided to take a break from punching. He said he is five pounds over the superbantamweight limit. He is the reigning WBO Oriental champion. Morales worked on the mitts with Donaire and proceeded to work on the heavy bag.
Long time trainer Jun Agrabio will join Team Sonsona once he arrives from Manila.
When Team Sonsona returned to the Philippines after the historic title win against Jose Lopez of Puerto Rico, their favorite story was about the Filipino community who welcomed them and asked Marvin for autographs. Filipino hospitality made them feel like they never left home. It actually felt like a coronation even before the fight began. Pinoys working in the hotel where they stayed gave them extra attention. The Greater Toronto Area is home to the largest Filipino community in Canada, with more than 172,000 residents. A few days before the fight, promoter Allan Tremblay and matchmaker Sampson Lewkowicz realized that they not only discovered a boxing star but rallied a huge section of the Filipino diaspora in their corner.
Boxing ranks way behind ice hockey, lacrosse, and other team sports like baseball and basketball in terms of popularity in Canada. But the country does have a rich boxing history. Famous Canadian boxers include Sam Langford, Tommy Burns, Yvonne Durelle, George Chuvalo, and Arturo Gatti. In 1966, Muhammad Ali successfully defended his title against George Chuvalo in Toronto. In 1976, Montreal hosted the Summer Olympics where the five American boxing gold medalists - Sugar Ray Leonard, Leon Spinks, Michael Spinks, Leo Randolph and Howard Davis Jr. - would make their mark later on in the professional arena. In 1980, Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran engaged in one of the greatest fights in welterweight history , the "Brawl in Montreal" , in their Olympic Stadium. Lennox Lewis won a gold for Canada in the 1988 Olympics before moving back to England.
If Sonsona and Morales continue their winning ways, they could make Canada as the next frontier for Filipino boxers eager to make a name for themselves abroad.
Top photo: WBO superfly champion Marvin Sonsona poses at the Yanie Sta. Cruz Gym in Talisay City, Cebu Wednesday afternoon.
Ciso Morales (L) does the mitts with trainer Nonito Donaire, Sr. Wednesday afternoon. Photo by Dong Secuya.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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