Eden Sonsona, Richie Mepranum on Pacquiao-Cotto Card
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Two Filipino fighters get a break on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto “Fire Power” undercard at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Former Philippine flyweight champion Eden Sonsona, a protégé of Pacquiao’s former business manager, the late Rod Nazario, and Richie Mepranum from the Sarangani province where Pacquiao plans to run for Congress, will figure in six round, off-TV bouts.
Pacquiao had promised Nazario during a visit prior to his passing away that he would get Sonsona who is now handled by Nazario’s son, Rommel, a fight on the Cotto card which he did, banking on his influence with Top Rank promoter Bob Arum.
Sonsona will go up against Israeli fighter Eilon Kedem, a 25 year old super bantamweight with a record of 10-2-4 with 7 knockouts. The southpaw Sonsona has a record of 16-5 with 3 knockouts.
The 20 year old Sonsona is coming off a ten round unanimous decision over Anthony Esmedina last April 4 while Kedem scored a six round unanimous decision over Julio Valadez in his last fight on October 21.
The 22 year old Mepranum, also a southpaw, has a record of 15-2-1 with 3 knockouts and won a six round unanimous decision in his US debut against Cesar Lopez on the Pacquiao-Oscar De La Hoya undercard at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas last December 6, 2008. The reigning WBO Oriental flyweight champion won the regional title with a unanimous twelve round decision over undefeated Juma Fundi of Indonesia on June 14, 2008.
Mepranum clashes with Ernie “The Gladiator” Marquez, a 27 year old from the United States with a record of 9-5-1 with 3 knockouts. Marquez has won both his fights this year with a six round decision over Saul Gutierrez last March 7 and another six round unanimous decision over Adrian Aleman last May 9.
