AFTER a 20-month hiatus, 21-year-old former world champion ?Marvelous? Marvin Sonsona attempts to revive his boxing career with a comeback fight against Mexican prospect Carlos Jacobo at the Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City tonight.
Sonsona, who already had some ups and downs in his young career, wants to redeem himself and prove he still has the magical touch the once had in the brutal sport.
However, the 24-year-old Jacobo has different plans and promised to spoil Sonsona?s return.
?This Saturday night I will knock you out,? said the World Boxing Council Fecombox super bantamweight titleholder in the weigh-in for the fight dubbed ?Back With A Vengeance.?
Jacobo won?t be a walk in the park for Sonsona because the former has an imposing 16-3-1 record with 14 knockouts and has a 70 percent knockout ratio. Sonsona, on the other hand, is as impressive with a 14-1 slate with 12 knockouts. Jacobo had a two-month training camp for this fight and has sparred with world champion Hugo Ruiz and Heriberto Ruiz in Los Mochis.
Sonsona, who is from a boxing family in Gen. Santos City, called it quits after suffering his first career loss, a fourth-round knockout at the hands of Wilfredo Vazquez Jr.
After becoming the second youngest world champion in Philippine history, Sonsona lost his focus and dedication to his craft. He lost his World Boxing Organization (WBO) super flyweight crown on the scales after coming into his first title defense overweight against Alejandro Hernandez in 2009.
This time Sonsona promised that he has changed for the better and has matured.
?I will prove to everyone that I want to return and that I?m ready,? he said.
SGG Promotions head Sammy Gello-ani said he has huge plans for Sonsona but the future of his young ward all depends on his showing tonight.
In the co-main event, Jessie Albaracin (14-3-3, 12 KOs) will defend his WBO Oriental super bantamweight crown against tough veteran Marvin Tampus ?Singwancha? (27-13-2, 18 KOs).
?The knockout will come. I will not allow him to knock me out. There will be no running in this fight,? said the 26-year-old Albaracin, who snatched the WBO Oriental crown from Ni?o Magboo last year.
?I will not say that I will knock him out because he too has been training hard. But I will promise a good fight that would be a money?s worth for the fans,? said Tampus.
Also seeing action in the blockbuster boxing event, which will be shown on the same evening on AKTV, is former WBO interim light flyweight titlist Johnriel Casimero (14- 2, 8 KOs), who is up against TI Yamagata Sentillas (11-7, 7 KOs).
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on October 15, 2011.
