Sonsona Gets a Warning on Vazquez From Donaire Sr
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Trainer Nonito Donaire Sr has warned “Marvelous” Marvin Sonsona who lost his WBO super flyweight title in his first defense when he failed to make the weight, that his battle against undefeated Wilfredo Vazquez Jr for the vacant WBO super bantamweight title will be a tough fight.
The title bout between the two undefeated fighters will take place in Vazquez' hometown of Puerto Rico on February 27. Vazquez has a record of 17-0-1 with 14 knockouts while Sonsona has a record of 14-0-1 with 12 knockouts.
Donaire who handled newly crowned WBO light flyweight interim champion Johnreil Casimiro (14-0, 8 KO’s) who dropped hard-hitting and heavily favored Cesar Canchila five times en route to a stunning 11th round knockout in Managua, Nicaragua last December 19 said Casimiro trained hard for that fight. He warned Sonsona who hasn’t started training as yet, that he cannot afford to take Vazquez lightly especially since he (Sonsona) is moving up two weight divisions to super bantam.
Donaire said Sonsona is still in his hometown of General Santos City but that they are planning to leave for Los Angeles on January 2 to begin training at the Kennel Club Gym in San Leandro, California..
Donaire warned that Vasquez Jr “is good and has been knocking his opponents out and he’s coming to fight and Marvin cannot underestimate him.”
The elite trainer said that when a 19 year old like Sonsona wins a world title, they find it hard to handle the new-found attention and limelight which probably accounted for his disappointing performance in his first title defense at Casino Rama in Ontario, Canada last November 21 when he lost the crown on the scales and was fortunate to be held to a draw by Alejandro Hernandez thus rendering the title vacant.
Sonsona won the title with a twelve round unanimous decision over another Puerto Rican, Jose “Carita” Lopez on September 4, 2009 after earning the title shot following a spectacular 2nd round knockout of a former interim champion Wandee Singwancha of Thailand.
The 25 year old Vazquez has sound credentials having won the WBO Latino super flyweight interim title with a 7th round TKO over Genaro Garcia last November 20 after scoring a 2nd round knockout over Cecilio Santos also in an interim title fight last July 17.
Vazquez Jr won the WBA Fedecenter and Latino interim titles with a lopsided u,nanimous twelve round decision over Jose Angel Beranza on March 13, 2009 before Beranza flew to Honolulu, Hawaii where he dropped a ten round decision to Filipino southpaw AJ :”Bazooka” B anal at the Blaisdell Center on August 29 last year.
