"Marvelous" Performance

Marvin Sonsona of the Philippines reacts after being announced the winner over Jose Lopez of Puerto Rico in their WBO Junior Bantamweight World Title match at Casino Rama in Orillia, Ontario, Canada September 5, 2009.

And the new WBO Junior Bantamweight Champion of the World, "Marvelous" Marvin Sonsona. Congratulations! Philippine boxing just got another major boost.

It was a very exciting match up. Sonsona just had 13 fights prior to this title fight and he is going up against a seasoned veteran champion from Puerto Rico who holds a record of 39-7-2 with 32 knock outs.

Youth of Sonsona against the veteran experience and smarts of the defending champion. Power also favors Sonsona as he had knocked out his last 12 opponents.

The first three rounds were very close with Sonsona landing the more telling blows and the champion stalking him down with good body shots.

Sonsona landed a straight left (Sonsona is a southpaw) to the champion's forehead and BOOM!, the champ goes down. There was a lot of time left on the round but Sonsona was not able to capitalize.

It was a back and forth battle from then on as the champion continues to land to the body and to the head. The main concern about the Filipino challenger was his inexperience beyond the fifth round. Sonsona is pretty much untested.

But the Filipino phenom intelligently boxed his way around Lopez. He used his height advantage (5'7" for a 115-pounder) and superior boxing skills to control the fight. He still shows a lot of power landing heavy shots but the champion would not go down. In fact, Sonsona was hit a lot with left hooks and right straights as the champion continues to slug it out. Lopez is a great champion with lots of heart and courage.

In the end, Sonsona proved he is not just a young knock out artist. He was flexible enough to outbox and outsmart Lopez in the championship rounds. His stamina held through in a fight that went past the 5th. His coaches Jhun Agrabio and Nonito Donaire, Sr. did their job well and taught the kid everything he needed to take home the championship title.

The kid got heart. He was cut above his right eye, he was hit with a lot of low blows, was hit with a lot of power shots and he took it all. Tough brave kid.

Truly amazing. It was Sonsona's only 14th professional fight, he moved up from 112 to 115 just to fight for a title. His first fight outside the Philippines. His first title fight. At a very young age of 19, he did it. Congratulations!!!