MARVELOUS, BUT HE CAN STILL DO BETTER
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 16 Oct 2011
Marvin Sonsona is back and that is the important thing. Twenty months is a very long time for a boxer to have an ?unforced hiatus? even for a former world champion in his early twenties. But the dazzling moves were still there.
His opponent, Carlos ?El Relampago? Jacobo of Mexico, looked tentative and sluggish at the start and Sonsona pounced with hooks and uppercuts.
Jacobo started the third with a series of left hooks and began to target Sonsona?s body. But Sonsona showed excellent lateral movement to stay out of serious trouble and caught Jacobo with a hard left. But the Mexican?s game plan was obvious; the Gensan southpaw?s endurance was suspect and Jacobo pounded Sonsona?s midsection.
Sonsona peppered Jacobo with his straight left and sneaked uppercuts when he tried to get in. Sensing he was behind on points past the halfway mark, Jacobo increased his punch output. Sonsona backed Jacobo up with power shots but the Mexican had a solid jaw.
Sonsona did answer the question as to whether his punches had pop as a superbantamweight when he dropped Jacobo in the round eight.
Jacobo stood up on unsteady legs but the bell saved him. In a breath-taking ninth round, both boxers exchanged powerful volleys and Jacobo ended the round with a right straight to Sonsona?s jaw. In the final round, Sonsona moved and tried to keep the action at ring center as Jacobo tried to press.
Sonsona showed ring smarts and his championship heart after ten rounds. The scores were lopsided in his favour ? 98-91, 98-91, 97-92. Sonsona answered questions about his heart, dedication and endurance. If the fight ended in a quick knockout, the questions would have lingered in the minds of boxing pundits.
Sonsona still needs to work on his defense. His muscle tone needs improvement as well. He could use a good conditioning coach and a sports nutritionist. He has food cravings and he needs to discipline himself when no one is looking.
Promoter Sammy Gello-ani told this writer that Sonsona plans to continue training. There may be another fight this December.
When the level of competition gets higher, they could use an experienced ring tactician. Sonsona is one of the smartest boxers we have, but he could still use a good motivator and ring general.
The important thing right now is that he is back. We can call him ?Marvelous? again. For those who never stopped believing in him, they can dream with him once again; Dream of Act Two, of that glorious September day in Canada.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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