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A MARVELOUS WELCOME FOR TEAM SONSONA


PhilBoxing.com




The day is September 4, 2009, with a sold out ticket and a brigade of Filipino fight fans at his back, Marvelous Marvin Sonsona will be up for the battle of his life, as ?Rumble in Rama IX? takes place in Casino Rama, Ontario, Canada, for the WBO World Super flyweight Championship title fight.

Marvin Sonsona 13-0, 12KO?s will be taking on Jose ?Carita? Lopez of Puerto Rico, a 37 year old boxer with a record of 39-7-2, 32 KO?s in a neutral country Canada, the bout will entail an all out war between a veteran boxer and a youthful knock out artist from General Santos City.

Team Sonsona arrived in Canada a week ago and they are staying at Delta Chelsea Hotel in Toronto were they still continue to practice as to acclimitize the kid on the colder weather. On a phone interview, Team Sonsona?s manager Dr. Rajan Yraola told this writer that they are very much pleased and appreciative of how the Filipinos in Toronto welcomed them during their arrival in Canada. Some of the hotel staff at the hotel are Filipinos and they were very supportive of Sonsona, knowing that he is up to fight for a world title.

The Team goes to practice at Cabbage Town gym in downtown Toronto, and in the mornings both of Sonsona?s coaches Jun Agrabio and Nonito Donaire Sr. accompanies the kid in his morning runs just at the block of the hotel where they are staying.

According to Coach Nonito Donaire Sr. ?the weather is a lot more cooler than what the kid has been used to back home in the Philippines, but he has no problem in trimming down his weight and in fact the boy is doing great in his routine practice and right now he is in excellent condition.? Donaire Sr. also added that Marvin is already at his weight limit and they are continuing their routine to maintain the good physical condition that Sonsona has.

Last Sunday, Team Sonsona went to attend mass at the Our Lady of Assumption Catholic Parish Church in Toronto, they were invited by the Founder and Director of the Church Rev. Fr. Bienvenido Ebcas Jr. for the first year anniversary of the Church. The mass was attended mostly by Filipinos who went to work and live in Canada, these hard working men from the Philippines were so proud to see a young Filipino fighter motivated to bring another pride and glory back home.

Before the mass ended the priest called Marvin Sonsona and introduced him to the Filipino community who attended the mass, Dr. Rajan Yraola said, ?We were very much pleased for the warm welcome the Filipino community showed us, we are very happy to see their support for their Pinoy kababayan.?

According to Yraola, some of the Filipinos even took the chance to have their pictures taken with Marvelous Marvin Sonsona, one of them even invited the Team to his salon for a free haircut, some are asking as to where can they buy tickets for the fight, just lately, Dr. Yraola learned that most of the tickets have been already been sold out and still some of the Filipino fight fans are asking if he could talk to the promoter if they can still produce tickets for them.

It was indeed a heartfelt support that Team Sonsona is gathering from the Filipino community, they are all hoping and praying that Marvelous Sonsona wins his fight against Puerto Rican, Jose Lopez.

With such tremendous support coming from the Filipino community in Canada, Marvelous Marvin Sonsona vows to win the title and bring the glory to the Filipino people all over the world.
After the mass, Team Sonsona enjoyed a banquet of dinner that the Filipino community prepared for the first year anniversary of their church.

Top photo: Team Sonsona together with Rev. Fr. Bienvenido Ebcas Jr. and some members of the Canadian Filipino community.


Sonsona in the news in Canada's Filipino-Canadian newspaper.



Click here to view a list of other articles written by Oliver A. Gabito, DDM.


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