Morales and Sonsona start training in California
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 10 Jan 2010
Renowned trainer Nonito Donaire,Sr. has started whipping Ciso ?Kid Terrible? Morales and ?Marvellous? Marvin Sonsona into championship caliber form in time for their crucial bouts next month. They have opened training camp at the Kennel Gym in San Leandro, California and do their roadwork at Marina Park.
Morales, from Talibon, Bohol will challenge Mexico?s Fernando Montiel for the WBO bantamweight crown on February 13 in Las Vegas. This will be part of a huge fight card that will feature Gerry Penalosa vs Eric Morel in a WBO bantamweight eliminator and WBA interim world superflyweight titlist Nonito Donaire,Sr. vs Gerson Guerrero.
Morales (14-0, 8 KO?s) held the WBO Oriental superbantamweight crown but will be moving down in weight for his title challenge. He fought overseas for the first time last November and won a majority eight round decision over Mexico?s Miguel Gonzales in Canada. He will have to bridge a wide experience gap over the champion Montiel (39W-2L-2D, 29KO?s) who is ranked number 20 among the best pound for pound fighters in the world by Ring magazine. Montiel narrowly escaped with his title from Z Gorres in 2007 in a fight held in Cebu City.
Last year Donaire,Sr. steered Sonsona, Anna Julaton and Johnriel Casimero to world titles. He will have to pull two rabbits out of his hat this time around.
Sonsona, the former WBO superflyweight champ from Gen. Santos City, will move up two divisions higher and face Wilfredo Vasquez,Jr. for the vacant WBO superbantamweight world title in Puerto Rico on February 27.
If Sonsona beats Vasquez, he will be the youngest Filipino in history to win two world titles at two different weight divisions at 19 years and seven months. The Puerto Rican Vasquez (17 W-0 L -1 D, 14 KO?s) however, will be fighting on home soil.
This will not be a walk in the park for Sonsona. Vasquez obviously will try his best not to shame the family name in their own country. His father, Wilfredo,Sr. is a former three division world champ.
Sonsona won the WBO superflyweight title over Jose Lopez of Puerto Rico last September 2009 but lost his title after being 2.6 lbs overweight in his first defense against Alejandro Hernandez of Mexico in a fight that ended in a split draw.
(Header photo: Ciso Morales. Bottom photos of Morales and Sonsona training in California courtesy of Sammy Gello-ani)
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