By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Filipino Rodel Mayol faces a tough title challenge when he takes on Mex ico’s World Boxing Council light flyweight champion Edgar Sosa on Sunday, Manila Time, in Chiapas which is the southernmost state of Mexico.
Respected boxing correspondent and television reporter James Blears who lives in Mexico told us that the “bad news for Mayol is that Edgar (Sosa) fights well against boxers who aggressive and come straight at him because he is naturally a counter-puncher who has developed the attacking side of his game.”
He said Sosa is “especially effective as a body puncher and will test Mayol’s ribcage to try and slow him down and soften him up for a knockout.” Blears also mentioned that the champion is an intelligent boxer who “uses his brain as much as his fists and doesn’t tend to waste many punches, looks for openings and can adapt during fights.”
Sosa who has won his last four fights by TKO’s has a record of 37-5 with 21 knockouts and is coming off a 6th round TKO over Omar Soto last September 5.
The 30 year old Mexican has beaten two Filipinos, the last being perennial title challenger Juanito Rubillar who lost by a TKO last November 29, 2008. Prior to that Sosa won a unanimous twelve round decision over hard-hitting Sonny Boy Jaro even though the champion was dropped in the final round on September 27, 2008.
Mayol is coming off back-to-back battles with undefeated Puerto Rican Ivan Calderon. Their first clash ended in a technical draw in the sixth round after an accidental clash of heads in round four with the three judges scoring the fight even at the time of the stoppage on June 13, 2009.
In the rematch Calderon who was also cut in an accidental clash of heads forcing referee Luis Pabon to call a halt eked out a 7th round technical decision.
Mayol who is two years younger than Sosa has a record of 25-4-1 with 19 knockouts realizes that this is possibly his last chance at a world title and is determined to make the best of it.
Sosa who is a relatively big light flyweight always steps on the scales right on the weight and has recently spoken about the routine and monotony of dieting to make the weight and still stay strong and has hinted that his eleventh title defense against Mayol may be his last before he moves up to the higher flyweight division.
Sosa has said he considers Mayol “a dangerous opponent for the furst few rounds” but Blears believes that the Mexican world champion will initially couinter-punch, go to the body and then move upstairs for a possible knockout. However, Blears notes that with Mayol’s “power and will to win, this should be an exciting title fight.”