SONSONA MEDIA DAY INTERVIEW
By Dr. Allan Recto
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 06 Jun 2014
Manhattan, New York City (06/05/2014) - At the Kingsway Gym in 1 West 28th St., 2nd Flr, New York, NY 10010, an undercard (for Cotto vs. Martinez at MSG on June 7) media workout day was done starting at 2:00 pm ET for Andy Lee, John Jackson, Marvin Sonsona and Javier Maciel.
Sensational Filipino boxer Marvin ?Marvelous? Sonsona (18 W, 15 by KO, 1 L, 1 D) arrived late, with his Team to include trainer Jun Agrabio, Filipino manager Sammy Gello-ani and philboxing.com owner/writer/photographer Dong Secuya. Upon Team Sonsona?s arrival, Top Rank?s ace publicist Lee Samuels whisked Sonsona for a quick interview with their talented reporter Crystina Poncher, who had been patiently waiting for him.
Poncher: It?s your first fight professional in the United States, on a big card (Cotto vs. Martinez) in Madison Square Garden, how happy and excited are you for this opportunity?
Sonsona: First of all, I wish to thank God for me to be given this opportunity, then most especially to Top Rank and Sampson Boxing. I am very happy and thrilled to be here.
Poncher: This fight is a rematch against Wilfredo Vasquez, Jr. In the first fight, it did not go your way, but since that fight, you had improved and gotten better, including showing us a spectacular knockout in Macau, China. What do you have to do to be victorious inside the ring come Saturday night?
Sonsona: We trained very hard for this fight. The first fight with Vasquez Jr., I trained with Nonito Donaire, Sr., who helped me a lot. Our style will be different for this fight. I am now back with my previous trainer Jun Agrabio and we made a lot of adjustments for me to win this fight.
Poncher: What would it mean to you on a big stage like Madison Square Garden, to look impressive in your performance? Where are you hoping this will take you in your career towards the future?
Sonsona: I assure you I will do my best to give a very good performance. I guarantee that the people watching will enjoy. I promise to give it my all in Madison Square Garden and to show them what I got.
After the interview, they exchanged pleasantries, and Poncher wished Sonsona well. Top Rank?s ace photographer Chris Farina immediately took the boxer to a corner for a photo op session. Sonsona calmly obliged looking ripped and ready, although his manager said he was still slightly over the weight limit for his scheduled fight on Saturday, June 7 against Wilfredo Vasquez, Jr. (23 W, 19 by KO, 3 L, 1 D), who had lost to Filipino fighter Nonito Donaire, Jr. at the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX in 2012 via split decision. This rematch between Sonsona and Vasquez Jr. will be for the vacant NABF featherweight title.
Official undercard weigh-in will be on Friday, June 6, starting at 2:30 pm in The Theater at Madison Square Garden. Cotto and Martinez will step on the scale at approximately 3:10 pm ET.
Since it was getting late, and there was no need for further training at the Kingsway Gym, Team Sonsona opted to go back to their local Manhattan Hotel. Manager Sammy Gello-ani expressed that ?they came late to the gym because they waited for Sampson ?Picasso? Lewkowicz, boxing promoter, adviser and world-class matchmaker, who despite being tied up with main event fighter Sergio Martinez, is also taking good care of Team Sonsona? in New York.
According to Gello-ani, he never gave up on Marvin Sonsona, despite his previous struggles inside and outside the squared circle. He said ?it was Lewkowicz who made everything happen for Sonsona? including his recent outing in Macau, China where he scored a well-timed KO against Japanese boxer Akifumi Shimoda (28 W, 12 by KO, 4 L, 2 D) at the Cotai Arena, Venetian Resort & Casino, the possible site of Manny Pacquiao?s next fight.
Gello-ani stated that ?this is a great opportunity for Sonsona to showcase his abilities and that he believes his ward has what it takes to win the rematch. If Sonsona could replicate his most recent performance in Macau, this will be the start of bigger things to happen; more doors will be opened for Sonsona and his Team.?
Sonsona is young and should learn from the past. He seemed very motivated to prove he has what it takes to become a world champion once again, and there is no bigger venue where to showcase his talents than the so called ?mecca of boxing? - the Madison Square Garden in New York City. This writer told Sonsona ?best of luck? and hope he wins his fight to make all Filipinos around the world including his boxing fans proud an happy.
Photo: Top Rank's Crystina Poncher (R) interviews Marvin Sonsona (C) at the Kingsway Gym in New York. Standing is Sonsona's manager Dr Rajan Yraola who acted as Sonsona's interpreter.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dr. Allan Recto.
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