?WE WERE LOOKING AFTER MARVIN?S WELFARE? ? GELLO-ANI
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 26 Nov 2009
Every boxing fan knows by now that Marvin Sonsona lost his WBO superflyweight title during the weigh-in last November 22 and his 12 round battle against Mexico?s Alejandro Hernandez in Canada ended in a split draw. But judging from the post fight reaction of boxing fans and pundits, one would think Sonsona was knocked out in the first round.
I had a chance to have a telephone conversation with promoter Sammy Gello-ani and asked his reaction regarding the negative fall out.
?The negative comments are expected but we were only looking after Marvin?s welfare.? Gello-ani said, ?He is bigger now compared to the time he fought Jose Lopez. We already anticipated he wasn?t going to make weight. That is why I already worked on a fight with Wilfredo Vasquez,Jr. at 122 lbs.?
?Would you want another ring tragedy to happen? What if what happened to Gorres would also happen to Marvin?? Gello-ani was referring to the aftermath of the Z Gorres fight in Las Vegas, where the ALA Gym boxer had to undergo emergency neurosurgery.
?Imagine if we forced Marvin to make weight, and he fights dehydrated and gets hit in the head several times. It would have been worse.? He also said that it was beyond their control that Sonsona grew more than an inch.
Gello-ani also talked about the different rules of the Boxing Commission in Canada, ?He would have less time to recover because the weigh-in was made on the day of the fight. We even had a meeting because they would not allow thicker hand wraps.
We told them he would hurt his hands, which he did during the fight, but they said these are our rules.?
Gello-ani will be leaving for China this weekend to attend Bert Batawang?s fight in Guangdong against Jack Amisa of Indonesia for the vacant WBO Asia-Pacific lt.flyweight title. Team Sonsona is aware that they will have to do some damage control. But Gello-ani would rather look to the future.
Marvin Sonsona will have to do so as well. Whether he likes it or not, he now holds the rather inglorious record of having the shortest reign among the Filipino world boxing champions. The only way he can redeem himself is if he can win another world title belt.
Above file photo: Marvin Sonsona (left) with Sammy Gello-ani last September in Casino Rama, Ontario
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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