Is "Marvellous" Marvin Sonsona The Next Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines?

By Benjie Varella I wrote an article several months ago on who will be the next boxing champion of General Santos City, Philippines.

I highlighted the boxing champions General Santos city have produced in the past. There's Rolando Navarette whose life became controversial after retiring because of different crimes he got involved with, the current pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao and I remember stressing in that article that I am very certain that the city will have a boxing champion in the future and that will come from the fists of "Marvellous" Marvin Sonsona who is compared with the likes of Pacquiao, Edwin Valero and Juan Manuel Lopez due to his supreme punching power.

Although a future champion is about to rise from General Santos city, I stated that the 19 year old kid Sonsona who has a decent record of 13 fights, 0 losses and 12 wins coming by way of knockout still needs at least 2 more difficult bouts before eyeing a championship belt.

He is raw, young and needs just a little more time. I personally thought that he will be given that chance at least at the end of next year or early 2011.

It is true that Sonsona annihilated Thai opponent former champion Wandee Singwancha inside two rounds last May but his promoters does not have to rush things for him to obtain a title belt.

I am not saying that Sonsona has no chance of winning against veteran Jose "Carita" Lopez for the WBO super flyweight championship on September 4 in Ontario, Canada but it would be best for a young fighter to take it one step at a time.

I strongly believe that Sonsona has the talent to be the next Pacquiao of the boxing world but just in case he gets defeated on September 4, the kid could feel demoralized. Emotional stress could affect the power of any fighter.

But if Sonsona wins, for sure he will be a history in the making more so if he knocks his opponent out. Remember, Lopez who is likened to Filipino veteran former two-time world champion Gerry Penalosa due to their durability in the ring has never been knocked out in his entire career. Knocking Lopez out would be a very hard assignment Sonsona have to accomplish.

Lopez's punching power should also not be put aside. He holds a record of 37 wins, 32 of these victories came by way of knockout and has 7 losses and 2 draws. He has 16-fights winning streak and has not lost since 2001 where he was decisioned by Fernando Montiel.

It's tough but possible. It will depend on Sonsona's youth versus the ageing 37 year old Perto Rican.

Winning the title by KO or not, he will also be the youngest Filipino World Champion at the age 19 years of age and two months on fight day. The youngest Filipino boxing champion is Ben Villaflor who won the WBA junior lightweight crown year 1972 at the age of 19 years of age and 5 months. Pacquaio was 19 years of age and 10 months when he won his first title in 1998.

Whatever fate this kid has will be witnessed come fight night. It's just a matter of proving that he is indeed a history in the making and is different from compatriots Rey "Boom-boom" Bautista and Aj "Bazooka" Banal who suffered bitter defeats when they were rushed to fight for a title belt and pitted inside the veterans den.

Article posted on 25.07.2009

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