Sonsona joins ranks of Pinoy boxing champions

Marvin Sonsona became the latest Filipino boxing champion on Friday (Saturday in Manila) after the 19-year-old defeated Jose Lopez of Puerto Rico to capture the World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior bantamweight title at the Casino Rama in Ontario, Canada.

According to FightFan.com, challenger Sonsona needed 12 rounds – coupled by a knockdown and a point deduction due to a low blow from the deposed champion – to score a unanimous decision victory against the 37-year-old veteran Lopez. All three judges scored in favor of Sonsona (114-111, 115-110 and 116-109) as the General Santos City-native kept his fight record clean at 14-0 with 12 by way of knockout. It was also Sonsona’s 14th professional fight and first in the international stage. His past 13 fights were held in various provinces and cities in the Philippines. Sonsona, who is also a southpaw like Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao, used his two-inch height advantage against his Puerto Rican foe in landing hooks and uppercuts that hurt Lopez in the closing second seconds of the second round. Sonsona sneaked in a well-placed hook that floored Lopez in fourth but his opponent managed to survive the round. Lopez, who was warned several times for low blows and was deducted a point in the eighth, rebounded in the middle rounds but could not counter the intensity of Sonsona, who showed no signs of slowing down. Sonsona, who has won 13 of his other matches under five rounds, clearly has the advantage as his youth managed to trump Lopez’ veteran smarts. He now joins the likes of other Filipino world boxing champions Pacquiao, Nonito Donaire Jr. and Brian Viloria. – GMANews.TV