8CN Exclusive Interview With “Marvelous” Marvin Sonsona -- 8CountNews

By Lorne Scoggins, 8CountNews.com

At only 19 years of age, “Marvelous” Marvin Sonsona is a fighter with tons of potential. After 150 fights as an amateur, he is now undefeated as a pro. He has stayed very busy since his professional debut. Since the summer of 2007 he has amassed an impressive record of 14-0-1 with 12 KOs. He's now in training for his February 27th bout with another undefeated prospect, Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. (17-0-1, with 14 KOs). The winner of the match will secure the vacant WBO super bantamweight title. Sonsona will be moving up from the super flyweight division.

Many have pointed out similarities between Sonsona and pound for pound king, Manny Pacquiao. Both are from General Santos City, both are south paws, and both debuted professionally at 106 lbs. 8CN caught up with Sonsona during a time out from his training. Sonsona humbly denied any comparisons with the man he called his idol.

8CN: Thanks for talking with 8CN, Marvin. How's your training coming along?

MS: It's going well. For the first part of my training I was at the Kennel Boxing Gym in San Leandro California. Now I'm training in Puerto Rico.

8CN: You're facing a tough, undefeated opponent. Do you feel prepared for the Vazquez fight?

MS: Of course. I'm well prepared and ready to win the fight with Vasquez.

8CN: How do you think the fight will play out? Do you have a round prediction?

MS: For me, I'll do my best and the rest is up to the Lord to decide who's going to win, but for my part, I'm going to give everything I got to win this fight.

8CN: A lot of people are comparing you to a young Manny Pacquiao. How has Manny influenced you?

MS: He is my idol! All the Filipino boxers idolize Manny. Nobody will ever be like he him. He's one of a kind.

8CN: As you know, Manny will be fighting Joshua Clottey on March 13. Do you want to share your thoughts on that fight?

MS: I think Manny will win this fight. He's very good at what he does.

8CN: You're going to be moving up from super flyweight to super bantamweight. Do you plan to keep moving up so you can conquer several weight classes?

MS: No. Manny is the only one who can do so well at many different weight classes. Nobody can follow in his footsteps because he is the best and he made his own way. For me, whatever opportunities Jesus gives me I'll take.

8CN: Do you have any final thoughts you'd like to share with your fans?

MS: I'd like to ask everyone to please pray for me and all the boxers who want to be world champions, and on this Saturday, please say a special prayer for me to win this fight. It is for the honor of our country.

8CN: Thank you for taking the time to talk with us and may God bless you.

MS: Ok. Thank you very much sir.

Contact Lorne: lscoggins@8countnews.com


Special thanks to my wife, Ritchie, for acting as interpreter for this interview.

Source: 8countnews.com

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Roach: If Mayweather doesn’t want to fight Manny under the commissions’, sanctioning body’ rules, then he can go fight some girl

Boxing News World

Outspoken Hall of Fame-bound boxing trainer Freddie Roach recently talked to Leave It In The Ring Radio about Joshua Clottey and his favorite pupil’s preparation for “The Event”. He also didn't hold back his thoughts on Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Paulie Malignaggi.

Here are some highlights:

On Pacquiao’s condition:
"He’s on fire right now and ready to go."

On why Clottey was chosen as Manny’s opponent:
“Since the Mayweather fight didn’t happen, there was really nowhere else for us to go. We had to pick the best guy available and Clottey is that guy.”

On Clottey:
"The thing is… I have a lot of confidence in my fighter of course, but I know he is a very difficult guy. I respect him as a fighter. I respect him as a human being. He’s a gentleman. He knows how to fight, but I just have a lot of confidence in Manny. We have a really really good game plan for Clottey. The thing is we just have to pull the game plan off. And I think we can make it look a lot easier than it is. Of course he is a tough guy and we do have to respect his power and size."

On Manny’s possible retirement after Clottey fight if Pacquio vs Mayweather-Mosley winner can not be made:
"We have talked about that because I don’t want Manny to stay in the game too long. I don’t want him to be one of those guys who was fighting beyond their best years…. This could be our last fight."

On Floyd Mayweather Jr:
"He (Manny) wants Mayweather next so badly. The thing is (they) both need to win their fights of course. We’re not going to give Mayweather any edge at all though. He wants this Olympic style drug testing, all these (rubbish). We’re not going to give him nothing because if you give him something, he becomes bigger than the commission, bigger than the sport. It’s like giving the first two rounds away, giving him confidence, and so forth. We’ll go by the Nevada commission rules, by the sanctioning body rules…If he doesn’t want to fight us at those rules, then he can go fight some girl."

On Amir Khan’s next opponent:
"The thing about (Marcos) Maidana is nobody knows him yet. He's starting to get a little recognition because of Ortiz of course, but the thing is he's a really, really tough fight. So I don't want to fight that guy for nothing, for free…I wanted (Juan Manuel) Marquez so badly for his next fight for his American debut, because matchmaking is timing and I think it's the right time. I know it's not an easy fight, but I think it's one we can win. Nacho (Beristain) decided not to fight us, so Paulie Malignaggi was the next guy out there. I don't think we really want to fight Paulie though because he's such an (butthole). I used to respect this guy and like him, but he opens his mouth and says Amir is on steroids now because he trains with Freddie Roach. I might smack him when I see him… I'm pissed off about that with him. I feel like pulling Amir out of the fight and telling him go get a payday somewhere else because there's no payday here. You've knocked out five guys in your career; (they) must've been five girls. If Amir doesn't knock him out, I'll be very disappointed."

To hear the interview in its entirety, visit leave-it-in-the-ring.com.

- Marshall N. B., marx7204@lycos.com

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Marvin Sonsona, the Next Manny Pacquiao, Faces Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. -- FanHouse

By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse

In a clash of talented, unbeaten fighters who are competing for the vacant WBO super bantamweight (122 pounds) title, 19-year-old, southpaw, Filipino sensation, "Marvelous" Marvin Sonsona will meet 25-year-old Wilfredo "WV2" Vazquez Jr. at the Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez, in Vazquez's hometown of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, on March 27.

Sansona is considered the Philippines' next Manny Pacquiao.

"Manny is Manny. It's hard following in his footsteps. But all that I can be is my best, and, hopefully, bring another world title home," said Sansona. "Fighting in his [Vazquez's] hometown doesn't bother me. The officials will be fair, and I have a lot of Puerto Rican fans, too. I'm not sure if it'll end in a knockout, but it's going to be a very good fight."

The son of the former world champion by the same name, Vazquez (17-0-1, 14 KOs) is riding an eight-fight winning streak that includes six knockouts, including stoppages in his past two bouts.

Coming off of November's seventh-round knockout of Genaro Garcia, Vazquez is after his third, consecutive stoppage, and can make history by becoming the first Puerto Rican son of a former titlist to also win a crown.

A unanimous decision by Sansona (14-0-1, 12 KOs) dethroned Jose Lopez as WBO super flyweight (115 pounds) champion in September.


But following his first defense of that title -- November's 12-round draw with Alejandro Hernandez -- Sansona was forced to vacate the belt as a result of his failure to make the 115-pound limit prior to the fight.

"My promoter [Sampson Lewkowicz] wanted me to take this fight because I have a big chance to win the title. It's a good opportunity for me to get a championship belt back. I've trained hard for this fight, and we've worked on [Vazquez's] weaknesses because he makes a lot of mistakes," said Sansona.

"This fight is very important for me, especially being on pay-per-view in North America," said Sansona. "I want to make up for what happened in Canada and win another world title. I'm hungry and focused on this fight. I'm hungry like a tiger."

Vazquez-Sansona is part of a split-site, "Double Assault" pay-per-view broadcast which begins at 9 p.m. ET, and is being distributed in America and Canada by Integrated Sports Media.

The action continues later Saturday night from Guadalajara, as 28-year-old, WBC light flyweight (108 pounds) titlist Rodel "Bantang Mandaue" Mayol (26-4-1, 20 KOs) of the Philippines defends his crown against former WBC light flyweight king, Omar "Giant Killer" Nino (28-3-1, 20 KOs), of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mex.

Another bout airing from Guadalajara is a 10-round, WBC youth lightweight (135 pounds) championship between 24-year-old defending champion, Daniel "Tremendo" Estrada (21-1, 17 KOs), of Mexico City, and, veteran Angel Alirio "El Morocho" Rivero (21-7-1, 14 KOs), of Tijuana, Baja Calif., Mexico.

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

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MOSLEY INTERVIEW: MAYWEATHER WAS FORCED TO FIGHT ME -- PhilBoxing

By Anthony 'Duljoman' Andales, PhilBoxing.com

787 Aviation Ave. – Sugar Shane Mosley, the name in 147 lbs? I’d say “yes” by beating Margarito, yes he is the main man in the 147 lbs. division. Margarito was the most avoided 147 pounder in the planet before Shane put a beating on him in rounds 8 and 9 13 months ago.

I remember that during the post fight press conference of Pacquiao-De la Hoya, I asked Arum if Manny will fight Margarito. Arum said “we’re brave but not that brave.” So by beating Margarito, Mosley is the man in the welterweight division.

Duljoman: Good evening Shane, how's your weekend?

SSM: Fine, how are you?

Duljoman: Here at work, my break time, might as well talk to you to hype your fight against Mayweather... you’re taking a day off today (Sunday)?

SSM: Yeah! I'm resting today.

Duljoman: I’ve read about Floyd’s comment from Rick Rockwell's Examiner.com article that he’s talking about your divorce, that it can be very excruciating and sometimes it costs a lot of money. What can you say about this? Is this a below the belt for you?

SSM: He can say anything about my divorce, he can think all day about my divorce. I’m cool with that. He can focus about my divorce. The truth is I don’t care Anthony. I’ve been on this... in boxing for a long time, when I have an upcoming fight, I’m only thinking about that fight. I don’t care about my opponent's mouth. I’ll deal with them inside the ring. So I don’t care at all.

Duljoman: What do you think about Mayweather?

SSM: I don’t care about him and I don’t care about his personality. This is business for me, nothing personal. My mind is focused to beat him and fight him again because we have a rematch clause for this one.

Duljoman: Rematch clause for both of you?

SSM: No. Only for him. I don’t need a rematch clause. He needs a rematch clause because he was forced to fight me.

Duljoman: I talked to Roach a few days ago, he told me that Pacquiao-Mayweather was canceled because Mayweather was afraid of the zero to become 1. Like Roach was telling me that, Mayweather was frightened to fight Manny. What's your stand on this one?

SSM: Anthony let's put it this way. Mayweather needs money that’s why he’s forced to fight me. He needs money that’s why he puts a rematch clause on this one. I don’t know if he’s a coward or not but what I know for this fight? He was forced to fight me. Aside from Manny, this is the only big money for him out there. If he’s afraid to fight Manny I’m not.

Duljoman: Shane, you’re 38 years old now and with all your achievements... what is the motivation for this fight?

SSM: I always wanted to be the best. Beating him will put me to where I wanna be placed in my career. That’s why, I’ll beat Floyd, then hopefully Manny will fight me.

Duljoman: Shane I also read Mike Marley’s story from Examiner.com that if Oscar thinks that Manny is dirty, might as well he should refuse the blood money from Manny’s fight.

SSM: It is Oscar, I didn’t talk to him about this. For me, I’ll follow if there is a live contract. But I can’t talk on behalf of Oscar.

Duljoman: Shane that’s all for me as far as your upcoming fight with Floyd Mayweather is concerned. But I have something in my mind right now. I am an aerospace design engineer by trade but I’ve been boxing since 5 years old against our neighbors who stole guavas in our backyard. The last few years I became a correspondent for Philboxing.com. Do you think I can go to war with you in sparring so I can have a first hand experience and document everything?

SSM: Congratulations, good thing you didn’t become a boxer, that’s a good job…

Duljoman: Thanks. But I’ll give you a very intense 3 rounds. I will not waste your time. I’ll pay for my fare and show up ready.

SSM: Actually, training camp will start soon. And if I’m in training camp I can’t spar with anybody. My coach Nazim Richardson will dictate of who will be the sparring partners. But you can visit me anytime after this fight, I always spar to keep me fit. Let me know if you’re coming.

Duljoman: Thanks for your time Shane.

SSM: Anytime.

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Oh!BeerTime!!!

Shane’s Valentine's day was perfect with new girlfriend Bella, Bella is beautiful… Shane said that Manny is a very strong fighter, but he’s not with him 24/7, so he doesn’t know if Pacman is dirty or not… Superman vs. Superman was a good match up today, the younger Superman Dwight Howard won this time, is Antawn Jamison a jinx?... I don’t think so… so I read on the Philboxing forum that it is between Purefoods and Alaska, I don’t know if that is the championships or not, but I was happy to know that I am not alone, PBA sucks!!!... Also in forum, about Dr. Ed, my stand is, I will not allow the world to see my tooth decay… Also at Philboxing forum, I think Paclanders picked Teodoro and Gordon, smart voters in Pacland!!!... Ciso Morales needs to check where his heart belongs, boxing or calamay vendor?... So Nonito Doanire Jr. won, and he wore a rosary (just like Manny hey!), I know he is a good boxer but I don’t know outside the ring… He paid a courtesy call to Mayor Lim, just like Manny (to Mayor Atienza) hey!, the difference hey? Manny paid a courtesy call first to Mommy Dionesia before anything else, a BIG difference hey!… Hello to my first Brod Librado Jr., keep on punching my Brother!!!... Hi to my long lost childhood friend in Duljo, Christian “Sir Charles” Ventic… where is my other childhood friend the King of Engineers, Ernesto Abunda Jr? I missed you my friend… how about Elmer Rosal for Brgy Capt in Guizo and Duljo?... The other friend Masters on Robotics, the chief of Intel Rey Buot said that Paella in Barcelona can’t beat the guinabut near CIT backgate… yohoo!!! Kumbatea!

Source: philboxing.com

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Boxing notebook: Andre Ward gets foe; Margarito Texas cancellation explained -- Los Angeles Times

By Lance Pugmire, Los Angeles Times

Showtime officially announced Monday that Allan Green (29-1, 20 KOs) will replace Jermain Taylor in the Super Six middleweight tournament and will fight unbeaten Andre Ward (20-0) somewhere in the San Francisco Bay Area on April 24.

A Showtime official said Oakland's Oracle Arena is first choice for a venue to stage the bout.

Taylor dropped out of the tournament after suffering his fourth loss in five fights, a knockout by Super Six leader Arthur Abraham in October.

The Ward-Green fight will make for interesting unions involving Ward's promoter, Dan Goossen of the San Fernando Valley, who'll also stage a fight on HBO the same night: the heavyweight battle between Goossen-promoted Cris Arreola and his opponent, Tomasz Adamek, at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario.

Ward-Green will be preceded on Showtime with tape-delayed action of another "Super Six" clash between Carl Froch and Mikkel Kessler in Denmark. Green is scheduled to fight Kessler next, likely in the fall.

-- The remaining Super Six bout between Andre Dirrell and Abraham has been moved to March 27 at a site yet to be announced after Dirrell suffered a back injury last week. The bout will not take place at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa due to a previously scheduled Doobie Brothers concert, a hotel spokeswoman announced Monday.

The bout will remain in the U.S., a Showtime official said.

Updated Super Six standings: Abraham 3, Ward 2, Froch 2, Kessler 0, Dirrell 0, Green 0.

-- A spokesman for fight promoter Top Rank said Antonio Margarito was pulled from a planned comeback bout March 13 on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey fight at Dallas Cowboys Stadium to avoid a possible cancellation that might upset pay-per-view carriers and fans.

"He wasn't licensed [in Texas] yet, and we felt we had an obligation for the show to get them the complete undercard information as soon as possible," Top Rank spokesman Lee Samuels said. "We didn't want to announce [Margarito] as being on the card if there was a chance he wouldn't be there."

Texas was considering Margarito's license application when the fighter's promoter, Bob Arum, told The Times he was taking Tijuana's former world welterweight champion off the Pacquiao card and replacing that bout with a fight between Humberto Soto and David Diaz. Arum said he wanted Margarito to fight in May in Mexico.

But the Assn. of Boxing Commissions, which oversees and advises state commissions, told Texas authorities in a letter obtained by The Times that it didn't approve of licensing Margarito less than 13 months after California revoked his license for allegedly nearly using gloves loaded with plaster-containing inserts tucked inside his hand wraps last January.

Samuels said Top Rank had not consulted the ABC to see what time of suspension would be appropriate in the U.S.

"If all goes well in Mexico, he'll fight again here soon," Samuels said.

-- Pacquiao is enjoying the celebrity that accompanies being considered the world's top boxer. He's been visited by actor Robert Duvall at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, is scheduled to appear on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" March 3, and is scheduled to be featured on CBS' "60 Minutes" and ABC'S "Good Morning America" later next month, according to publicist Fred Sternburg.

Source: latimesblogs.latimes.com

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Sonsona Wants Belt Back -- The Sweet Science

The Sweet Science

HOBOKEN, N.J. (Feb. 22, 2010) – Filipino sensation “Marvelous” Marvin Sonsoma is hungry to capture another world title, as well as overcoming the aftereffect of losing his WBO super flyweight belt on the scales in his last fight, this coming Saturday night in the highly-anticipated showdown against hometown hero Wilfredo “WV2” Vazquez, Jr. for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior featherweight championship.

Vazquez, Jr.-Sonsona is one of two world title fights featured on the split-site “The Double Assault” pay-per-view broadcast, commencing at 9 PM/ET live from Reben Rodriquez Coliseum in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, the hometown Vazquez, Jr., who plans to make Puerto Rican history by defeating 19-year-old Sonsona.

The unique, double-barrelled broadcast is being distributed in the United States and Canada by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 9 PM/ET – 6 PM/PT on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, DIRECTV, TVN, DISH Network, Viewer’s Choice and Shaw PPV for a suggested retail price of only $34.95.

PR Best Boxing Promotions, in association with All Star Boxing and Sampson Boxing LLC., is presenting the Puerto Rican segment of “The Double Assault” pay-per-view.

WBO No. 2 rated Vazquez, Jr. (17-0-1, 14 KOs), the WBO Latino super bantamweight champion, would become the first Puerto Rican son of a world champion (Wilfredo Vazquez, Sr.) to capture a world title by defeating former WBO super flyweight titlist Sonsona (14-0-1, 12 KOs), ranked No. 3 by the WBO.

Sonsona, billed in the Philippines as that country’s next Manny Pacquiao, fought Alejandro Hernandez to a draw last November in Canada. Marvin, however, lost the WBO super flyweight title that he had won in his previous fight against Jose Lopez, due to weighing-in 2 ½ pounds over the 115-pound contractual weight. Sonsona is fighting two full weight classes above super flyweight against Vasquez, instead of taking a “tune-up” fight before fighting in this world title bout.

“My promoter (Sampson Lewkowicz) wanted me to take this fight because I have a big chance to win the title,” Sonsona explained. “It’s a good opportunity for me to get a championship belt back. I’ve trained hard for this fight and we’ve worked on his (Vazquez) weaknesses. He makes a lot of mistakes. This fight is very important for me, especially being on pay-per-view in North America. I want to make up for what happened in Canada and win another world title. I’m hungry and focused on this fight; I’m hungry like a tiger.

“Manny is Manny. It’s hard following in his footsteps but all I can be is my best and, hopefully, bring another world title home. Fighting in his (Vasquez) hometown doesn’t bother me. The officials will be fair and I have a lot of Puerto Rican fans, too. I’m not sure if it’ll end in a knockout, but it’s going to be a very good fight.”

Unbeaten cruiserweight prospect Carlos Negron (7-0, 6 KOs), 2008 Puerto Rican Olympian, provides chief support in a 6-round bout against Rudy Ashworth. Also fighting on the card in their pro debuts are the Arroyo twins, flyweight McWilliams and bantamweight McJoe, also members of the 2008 Puerto Rican Olympic Boxing Team.

The PPV action continues later Saturday night, live from Guadalajara, as WBC light flyweight champion Rodel “Bantang Mandaue” Mayol (26-4-1, 20 KOs), rated No. 2 by The Ring, defends his belt in the 12-round main event versus the WBC No. 1 contender, former WBC light flyweight titlist Omar “Giant Killer” Nino (28-3-1, 20 KOs). Also airing on the Guadalajara card, presented by Boxeo De Gala, is a 10-round WBC Youth lightweight championship match between defending champ Daniel “Tremendo” Estrada (21-1, 17 KOs) and veteran Angel Alirio “El Morocho” Rivero (21-7-1, 14 KOs).

Source: blog.thesweetscience.com

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Floyd Mayweather-Shane Mosley Press Tour Begins March 2 -- FanHouse

By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse

On May 1, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, 32-year-old Floyd Mayweather (40-0, 25 knockouts) will take on 38-year-old WBA welterweight (147 pounds) super world champion, Shane Mosley (46-5, 39 KOs) in a highly-anticipated matchup between two of boxing's best fighters, pound-for-pound.

A five-time champion, Mayweather (pictured at right) is coming off of September's lopsided, 12-round uanimous decision over Mexican great, Juan Marquez, and Mosley, off of a January, 2009, ninth-round knockout of another excellent Mexican fighter in Antonio Margarito, who was stopped for the first time in his career by Mosley.

One of the stipulations of the bout agreement was an immediate rematch for Mayweather, as well as the fact that both combatants will be subjected to Olympic-style, randomly blood, and, urinalysis testing.

But fans, nationwide, won't have to wait until May to get what could be perhaps an up-close and personal view of the two future Hall Of Famers, who might just be coming to a theatre near you.

The lead promoter for the tour is Goden Boy Promotions.

Below is the schedule of the fighters' promotional tour, which begins on March 2 with stops in New York, Washington ,D.C., and, Los Angeles.

Floyd Mayweather-Shane Mosley Press Tour Dates.

Tuesday, March 2: Nokia Theatre, Times Square, New York City

Wednesday, March 3: The Lincoln Theatre, Washington, D.C.

Thursday, March 4: Nokia Plaza's L.A. Live, Los Angeles

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

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