by Ronnie Nathanielsz

International promoter and matchmaker  Sampson Lewkowicz predicts that featherweight “Marvelous” Marvin Sonsona will be a superstar very soon and will “pickup the torch from Manny Pacquiao” the eight division world champion from the same hometown of General Santos City.

Lewkowicz told BoxingScene.com/New Standard/Viva Sports that Sonsona has matured from the wild and wooly ways of the past and is training in Las Vegas right now after a stint in Big Bear, California where he sparred twice with Sugar Shane Mosley.

He said when Sonsona arrived in the US he was around 160 pounds but is now working with Angel “Memo” Heredia and his weight is down to 142.

Lewkowicz said making the 126 pound limit for a planned title eliminator  sometime in May would be “no problem.”

He said Sonsona is living in a three bedroom apartment in Las Vegas with all the amenities including cable TV and a computer  and is “very happy.”

Lewkowicz promised to “watch him like a father” and indicated he is convinced the lanky southpaw with speed, power and all-round skill “would do well” in the future.

Gello-ani said the world rated featherweight must train seriously before he can be assured of a title eliminator in his North American Boxing Federation title defense against undefeated Puerto Rican Jayson Velez.

 

Gello-ani said that Sonsona who is currently training at the Roy Jones Jr gym in Las Vegas “must show his seriousness in training”  to get the fight against Velez which was initially scheduled to take place sometime last December was scrapped by Lewkowicz and Gello-ani because of Sonsona’s failure to train and their not knowing what he would do.

 

Gello-ani told the Standard that this time the lanky southpaw with a record of 19-1-1 with 15 knockouts who is  ranked No. 2 by the WBC, No. 4 by the IBF and No. 5 by the WBA “is looking very impressive” and he is “looking forward to changes in the attitude”  of the talented fighter.