General Admission
Soon, Sonsona will be champ again
By Al S. Mendoza
(RHEA Mae Bautista Oriel, the Riverside, California-born granddaughter of Dr. and Mrs. Apolinario G. Bautista of Binalonan, Pangasinan, celebrated her 18th birthday on October 19 with pomp and gaiety at a prestigious resort in nearby Urdaneta City on Saturday. We feel deeply honored for the invite and if not for an earlier commitment I could not skip for the life of me, my wife and I would have come. Here’s wishing for many more birthdays to come, Rhea Mae…Cheers!)
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THE young and the restless—they are as carefree as moths.
It’s been like that all this time, from Achilles to Palaris.
They fade young, if not die young.
Their courage knows no fear, defies danger like true SWATs.
Of recent example is Marvin Sonsona.
He was once dubbed Marvelous, lifted from Marvin “Marvelous” Hagler. Hagler was the best fighter of his time.
That’s because at age 18, Sonsona fought beyond his age.
Barely had he turned 19 when Sonsona became a world champ.
How many under-twenties have made it to the summit of beak-busting?
Not even Hagler in his heyday in the Eighties. Or Muhammad Ali, the greatest boxer of all time.
Sonsona hit the top so early because he is gifted.
Anybody disputing that can be guilty of atheism.
For, to be gifted is to be favored by God.
God works in mysterious ways but spotting one similar to a teacher’s pet is chicken feed. No mystery there.
The first time I saw Sonsona in action, I knew he was a world champ in the making.
Not that he comes from a city that produces boxing greats, foremost among them is Manny Pacquiao.
God loves GenSan that much He gives us not one Pacquiao but several Pacquiaos?
For, aside from Sonsona and Pacquiao as sons of Gensan, there’s Nonito Donaire, too. Donaire is also presently holding a world crown. But that’s another story.
Sonsona was marvelous, indeed.
But, alas, for virtually only a fleeting moment.
After winning a world crown, he slipped quickly into oblivion—losing his throne in no time when he fell to the vagaries of ego and success.
The good life gave him a false pride.
He grew fat on a diet opposed to his reign. Before he could defend his title, he lost it on the scales.
Unbeaten in the ring, he finally lost in February 2010 by a fourth-round knockout.
Perhaps, too embarrassed to face the music, he withdrew from public view.
Hermitic, no one knew where he was.
Then he resurfaced.
“I am a changed man,” he said.
On Saturday, October 15, he fought again—18 months after he called it quits.
Because he is Mr. Natural, whose in-born skills resemble that of Ali’s, he won—decking Mexico’s knockout artist, Carlos Jacobo, in the eighth en route to a unanimous decision verdict.
It was an impressive win. Jacobo was on a 13-fight winning streak, the last 10 all by knockout.
The victory likewise restored Sonsona’s old moniker: Marvelous.
Soon, Sonsona will wear a world crown again.
Non-believers, place your bets.
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