ARUM SAYS SONSONA?S KO PUNCH WAS ONE OF THE BEST HE?S EVER SEEN
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 23 Feb 2014
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum who was enamored with Marvin Sonsona when he saw the lanky southpaw in his pre-fight, press public workout in Macau, said his knockout punch that flattened former WBA super bantamweight champion Akifumi Shimoda on Saturday night was ?one of the best punches I?ve ever seen in 50 years of boxing.?
Arum spoke to the Manila Standard from Macau before leaving by ferry to Hong Kong and then taking a flight to Las Vegas. He said the attendance at the Cotai Arena of the plush Venetian Resorty Hotel and Casino was ?tremendous and everybody loved it.?
Arum was ecstatic. He said ?what a left uppercut. It traveled such a short distance with such power. It was an incredible punch.?
He said the 23 year old Sonsona who captured the WBO International featherweight title ?can be a superstar,?
Arum told us that promotional partners Sammy Gello-ani and Sampson Lewkowicz want to have him work with us which is fine. They both seem like nice fellas so we are going to integrate him (Sonsona) into future cards both in Asia and the United States.?
However, he agreed with our observation that Sonsona would need one or two more fights before he goes after a world title.
Arum, who didn?t really know the style of Sonsona or his gameplan noted that ?in the first two rounds he looked like nothing. It seemed like a mismatch? before he exploded with a devastating uppercut that knocked Shimoda out cold.
He was also extremely pleased with the performance of the three Olympic gold medalists on the ?Ring of Gold? card. He said two-time Chinese Olympic gold medalist Zou Shiming who scored a 7th round knockout over Thailand?s Yokthong Kokietgym will have two more ten round bouts before he fights for the IBF flyweight title in November against another former Olympian Amnat Ruenroeng of Thailand.
The Top Rank promoter was also impressed by middleweight Ryota Murata, the 2012 London Olympic gold medalist who scored a 4th round TKO over veteran Carlos Nascimento if Brazil and Russia?s London Olympic light heavyweight gold medalist Egor Mekhontsev who won by a 2nd round TKO over previously unbeaten Attaporn Jaritram of Thailand in a six round bout.
He said the Japanese, Murata, has ?a tremendous personality and should be a movie star.?
Sonsona (L) poses with Arum after Sonsona's spectacular knockout victory over Akifumi Shimoda of Japan Saturday night in Macau. Photo by Chris Farina / Top Rank.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Gracie meets Zubiri in PH
By Lito delos Reyes, Mon, 02 Feb 2026International Master Eric Labog Jr. rules FIDE rapid chess tourney
By Marlon Bernardino, Mon, 02 Feb 202676ers star Paul George has been suspended for 25 NBA games by doping
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Sun, 01 Feb 2026Fit To Be Unified: Xander Zayas Defeats Abass Baraou To Unify Junior Middleweight World Titles
Sun, 01 Feb 2026Fit To Be Unified: Xander Zayas Defeats Abass Baraou To Unify Junior Middleweight World Titles
Sun, 01 Feb 2026Trazo beats Jabagat in Talisay
By Lito delos Reyes, Sun, 01 Feb 2026Into fights Sanchez on Feb. 9 at Villa Kristen
By Lito delos Reyes, Sun, 01 Feb 2026Teofimo Lopez vs Shakur Stevenson: Styles Make Fights Fitting Cliche
By Chris Carlson, Sat, 31 Jan 2026Bryan Flores Wins Majority Decision Over Starling Castillo in Main Event of ProBoxTV’s ‘The Contender Series’ at Live! Casino Hotel Maryland
Sat, 31 Jan 2026KinetixSports Legacy Run on March 1
By Lito delos Reyes, Sat, 31 Jan 2026THE RING 6: OFFICIAL WEIGHTS AND RUNNING ORDER FOR TEOFIMO LOPEZ VS. SHAKUR STEVENSON
Sat, 31 Jan 2026Legendary Soccer Player Sergio Ramos to make professional boxing debut
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Sat, 31 Jan 2026Weigh-In Results: Xander Zayas vs. Abass Baraou
Sat, 31 Jan 2026Teofimo vs Shakur Fight Analysis
By Ralph Rimpell, Sat, 31 Jan 2026Rohan Polanco-Christian Gomez Welterweight Showdown Canceled
Sat, 31 Jan 2026