Sonsona too young to quit - promoter

MANILA, Philippines - Marvin Sonsona should seriously rethink his plans after being knocked out by Wilfredo Gomez Jr. yesterday in Puerto Rico.

His promoter, Sammi Gello-ani, can only hope that Sonsona goes back to his “marvelous” ways – on and off the ring.

The 19-year-old boxer took the WBO super-flyweight crown from Puerto Rico’s Jose Lopez last September. But his reign didn’t last long.

He was stripped of the title two months after as he failed to make weight for his first defense against Mexico’s Alejandro Hernandez.

The bout pushed through but ended in a draw. Saying he could no longer make 115 lb, Sonsona jumped two divisions higher.

But before he left for the United States last January to start his training for the Gomez fight, word had it that he wasn’t taking things seriously.

Sonsona loves to party like some champions do, and Gello-ani admitted that there were times that the boxer talked about quitting the sport.

His trip to the US was delayed a couple of times because Sonsona was either late for his flight or had no intention of boarding the plane.

Gello-ani told The STAR he doesn’t want to give up on Sonsona because the native of Gen. Santos City has a very bright future in the sport.

“Bata pa kasi (He’s still young),” said Gello-ani. “So let’s give him a chance. There were days when he told me he wanted to quit boxing because he said he’d been boxing all his life.”

Sonsona comes from a poor family, and upon his title win last September, he said all he wanted was to give his parents and his siblings a taste of the good life.

“After getting a taste of the good life suddenly he wants to quit,” said Gello-Ani, adding that Sonsona got $25,000 against Lopez and $50,000 against Alejandro.

For the Vasquez fight, Gello-ani said Sonsona was given a “good contract.”

“Nakatikim ng sarap eh. Ayaw na daw niya. But we’re not giving up on him. We’re giving him two years to mature. But I keep telling him that in those two years he needs to fight,” said Gello-ani.

“I told him that it may be too late for him if he quits now and decides to make a comeback when he runs out of money. He’s a very good boxer and I want him to stay that way,” he added.

Gello-ani can only keep his fingers crossed. – Abac Cordero