PART II OF SONSONA SPECIAL ON PBO ON SATURDAY 8:30 P.M.OVER SKY CABLE
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 14 Feb 2014
Part II of the two-part special on former WBO world super flyweight champion ?Marvelous? Marvin Sonsona who faces a stiff test in his effort to regain his stature as a world contender, this time in the featherweight division when he battles former WBA super bantamweight champion Akifumi Shimoda will be telecast on PBO over SkyCable on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. with a replay at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday.
Sonsona has been training diligently watched closely by trainer Jun Agrabio because he knows that his February 22nd opponent is a formidable foe.
Shimoda who is 29 years old and has a record of 28-3-2 with 12 knockouts is coming off a unanimous ten round decision over Mexico?s tough Alejandro Hernandez on September 7, 2013 after salvaging a controversial majority draw against former OPBF super bantamweight champion Roli Gasca of the famed ALA Promotions on April 6, 2013.
One of the losses of Shimoda was against touted, undefeated Mexican Rico Ramos on July 9, 2011 when the Japanese who appeared to be in control of the fight suffered a stunning 7th round knockout.
The special will feature the opening round which was controlled by Shimoda and the stunning knockout at 2 minutes and 46 seconds of the 7th round at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.
At the time of the stoppage Ramos was behind on the scorecards of all three judges with Barbara Perez and John Stewart having the Japanese ahead 59-55 and George Hill scoring it by a wider 60-54 margin for the southpaw Shimoda.
The Main Event provided trainer Jun Agrabio a DVD of the fight and we watched it together with Sonsona at the gym of Dr. Rajan Yraola at the Victoria Subdivision along Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City last Tuesday.
Marvin Sonsona who had some impressive wins in his career which included a 2nd round knockout of former world interim light flyweight champion Wandee Singwancha of Thailand in a WBO Oriental title fight which also served as a title eliminator for his clash with Puerto Rican veteran Jose Carita Lopez did some sparring at Manny Pacquiao?s Gym at the MP Towers in Manila last week, going six rounds with southpaw Cristian Abila and six more rounds with another southpaw Archie Toquero.
When we checked on Sonsona?s training last Tuesday he looked far more impressive showing good hand-speed, tremendous power and good movement as he went ten rounds on the punch-mitts with Agrabio, before running through a complete routine which will also be shown in the special.
The introduction of plyometrics training by a qualified strength and conditioning coach plus the involvement of a nutritionist has obviously helped a great deal as indicated by Sonsona?s manager Dr. Rajan Yraola.
The lady who handles Sonsona?s nutrition Roxanne De Villa told us that it has helped reduce his weight without weakening the fighter at all, which was confirmed by Marvin himself.
The approach of many leading gyms today as well as fight managers is to make sure their boxers resort to plyometrics which helps in terms of speed and explosiveness.
Included in the show will be a brief interview with Sonsona?s strength and conditioning coach and a former Letran basketball player about his routine and how it has helped Marvin.
It was clear to us that Marvin Sonsona?s trainer, veteran Jun Agrabio who handled him when he won the WBO super flyweight title against Puerto Rico?s Jose Carita Lopez in Ontario, Canada, is pleased with the response of Sonsona to the intense training regimen.
The 23 year old Marvin Sonsona is determined to win against Shimoda although he admits it?s a tough task but said that the introduction of a nutritionist and a plyometrics coach has had a positive effect.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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