TWO Filipino warriors will be in world title fights today in two separate venues in South America.
One will be defending his world championship strap for the first time while the other will be gunning for his second division world title.
Cebuano world champion Rodel “Batang Mandaue” Mayol will defend his World Boxing Council (WBC) light flyweight title for the first time today against Mexican veteran Omar “Giant Killer” Ni?o Romero at the Coliseo Olimpico de la UG in Jalisco, Mexico, while “Marvelous” Marvin Sonsona takes on fellow undefeated fighter Wilfredo “WV2” Vazquez Jr. for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) super bantamweight belt at the Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.
Mayol will attempt a difficult feat today, that only one Filipino boxer has ever done, winning back-to-back world championship fights in Mexico. The only boxer to successfully win two straight world title bouts in Mexico was WBO mini-flyweight king Donnie Nietes.
The 28-year-old Mayol, who is 26-4-1 with 20 KO’s, is facing one of the best 108-pounders, WBC No.1 contender Romero, who earned a title shot after winning a technical decision over veteran journeyman Juanito Rubillar in their title eliminator last year in Mexico.
The 33-year-old Romero, who is 28-3-1 with 11 KO’s, is the fighter who dethroned Brian Viloria in their WBC light flyweight battle in 2006.
The 19-year-old Sonsona will try to redeem his lost glory after relinquishing his WBO super flyweight strap by weighing overweight in his first title defense last year in Canada. Sonsona tipped the scales two and a half pounds over the weight limit of the 115-pound division in his defense against Alejandro Hernandez. Fortunately, Sonsona, a native of Gen. Santos, got away with a draw and kept his record intact.
After having weighty issues in his last bout, Sonsona made sure that he didn’t forfeit his chance to become a world champion again as he made the weight in the weigh-in yesterday.
Sonsona tipped the scales 121.4 pounds while the 25-year-old Vazquez Jr., who is the son of Puerto Rican legend Wilfredo Vazquez, just hit the mark at 122.
Both young boxers have unblemished records, Sonsona is 14-0-1 with 12 KO’s while Vazquez Jr. is 17-0-1 with 14 KO’s.
Both Filipino fighters also fought on the same day last Nov.21 in separate venues, Canada and Mexico. Mayol became world champion that day by stopping reigning titleholder Edgar Sosa in the second round while Sonsona surrendered his belt after weighing-in overweight.
