Title-less Sonsona remains undefeated, draws with foe

(Updated 3:01 p.m.) Marvin Sonsona lost his title but kept his pride intact. Climbing the ring 2.6 lbs overweight, Sonsona ended his 12-round fight against Mexican challenger Alejandro "Payasito" Hernandez in a split draw during their "Pride and Glory" title bout Saturday (Sunday in Manila) at the Casino Rama in Ontario, Canada. The warrior from General Santos City tipped the scales at 117.6 lbs during the weigh-in held hours before both fighters entered the ring. Hernandez came in at exactly 115 to keep his chances of winning the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior bantamweight crown. The WBO stripped Sonsona of his 115-lb belt after failing to make the weight. "I’m not really in good condition but if I’m in shape I could have knocked him out," said Sonsona, through his trainer Nonito Donaire Sr., after the fight. Hernandez though that he should have won the fight and earned his first world title. "Definitely I don’t think the judges did a good job because I believe I won by unanimous decision." Sonsona's split draw decision failed to sustain the momentum brought by consecutive victories made by Filipino boxers last week. Manny Pacquiao, also a General Santos City native, won his seventh world title by snatching Miguel Cotto's WBO welterweight crown last week in Las Vegas. Sonsona's cousin, Eden Sonsona, defeated Eilon Kedem of New York while Richie Mepranum won by split decision in a six-round junior lightweight match against Ernie Marquez. Both fighters were featured in the Pacquiao-Cotto undercard.
Losing the title to the scales seemed to fired-up Sonsona in proving his worth among the world’s best fighters as the 19-year-old former champion, sporting knee-high white socks, was explosive at the start of the fight. Sonsona, using his height and reach advantage, quickly went to work targeting Hernandez’ body and face and unleashing several bombs that rocked the 23-year-old fighter. Sonsona (5-foot-7) enjoys a one-inch advantage in height and four-centimeter (170cm) edge in reach against Hernandez (5-foot-6 and 166cm). Sonsona kept pressing with his attacks in the second round but Hernandez, who seemed bothered by the shoes that he was wearing, managed to sneak in a number of good combinations. Hernandez wore worn out shoes in the match, causing him to slip several times with his soles failing to get the traction needed inside the ring. He changed shoes at the end of round two. "For the first two rounds it was very difficult for me. I can’t really do anything with my boots but when they changed it, I got into the fight and dominate it all the way," Hernandez said. With the new shoes on, Hernandez seemed to have transformed into a different fighter in the third as he came out punching and attacking Sonsona’s defense. The Mexican controlled the round and connected with a number of body shots to the Filipino fighter. Hernandez’ new-found aggressiveness appeared to bother Sonsona. Hernandez, following instructions at his corner, continued to pound Sonsona’s body but the former WBO junior bantamweight title holder retaliated and pinned his opponent to the corner. Sonsona, however, failed to sustain his attacks and appeared to be spent which could have been the result of trying to make the 115-lb weight limit. Hernandez, who was able to stand the power of Sonsona’s punches, came out stronger in the next two rounds and continued his pressure. Sonsona took the next two. A number of times, both fighters engaged in a heated punching exchange to live up to its moniker of "Rumble in the Rama X." Sonsona even tagged Hernandez on the head that stunned his Mexican foe but the 23-year-old former Latino boxing champion fought back with his own barrage. Sonsona hung on and despite being sluggish and drained, still managed to pin Hernandez at the corner in the championship rounds, even finishing the 12th with another heated exchange at the center of the ring. One of the judges scored the fight at 115-114 for Sonsona while the other saw at 115-113 for Hernandez. The third judge scored it at 114-114 for the split draw decision. After exceeding weight Sonsona said that he plans to no longer fight in the 115-lb division. "We already have a plan. We talked about that (weight issue) and we’re going up to 122 (lbs)." – Jon Perez, GMANews.TV