MARVIN Sonsona?s career revival is on the right track as he joins the World Boxing Council (WBC) World Cup.
Sonsona, the former World Boxing Organzation (WBO) super flyweight champion, is slated to face unbeaten WBC Baltic featherweight titleholder Ayup Arsaev of Russia. The WBC website reported that they will fight in the first round of the featherweight tournament on Dec. 6 in Moscow, Russia.
The winner of the Sonsona vs. Arsaev fight moves on to the quarterfinals against WBC No. 2 Robinson Castellanos.
After more than a year?s layoff, Sonsona returned to action last Sept. 7 and stopped Jason Egera in eight rounds.
The 30-year-old Arsaev is also coming off a fourth-round stoppage win against Khavazhy Khatshyau to defend his WBC Baltic crown in Moscow.
The 23-year-old Sonsona, whose only loss was against Wilfredo Vazquez Jr., is 17-1-1 with 14 knockouts, while WBC No. 17 rated Arsaev is 13-0 with eight kncokouts.
The featherweight division is composed of 12 up-and-coming boxers from different nations.
Also in the tournament is Filipino prospect Al Sabaupan, who is competing in the lightweight division tournament.
Sabaupan will face WBC No. 7 Gislain Maduma in the elimination round on Dec. 13.
The winner faces off with undefeated WBC No. 2 Denis Shafikov.
Sabaupan is 20-2-1 with 15 knockouts, while the Canadian Maduma is 15-0 with nine knockouts.
The 25-year-old Sabaupan is off a unanimous decision defeat in the hands of former world title challenger Ricardo Dominguez last March 23 in Mexico.
Maduma, the WBC Continental Americas lightweight titlist, is fresh from a unanimous decision over Fermin de los Santos last Sept. 6 in Canada.
Veteran Dennis Laurente is listed as a replacement fighter in the welterweight division if one of the fighters can?t continue.
The finals will be in May or June next year and the winners of the WBC World Cup will earn mandatory challenger status.
Jhonny Gonzalez is the champion in the featherweight, while Adrian Broner holds the lightweight crown.
