Marvin Sonsona. FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines —Filipino bet Marvin Sonsona got back at Wilfredo Vasquez Jr. via split decision in the last undercard bout of the Cotto-Martinez headliner Sunday (Manila time) at the Madison Square Garden in New York.
Sonsona, a former WBO super flyweight world champion, earned two of the judges’ nod, 96-92, 96-92 while the other scored it in favor of Vasquez, 92-96.
The 23-year-old Sonsona avenged his only defeat so far, a fourth-round knockout at the hands of Vasquez four years ago for the vacant WBO super bantamweight crown.
And it was a different story when both former world champions met as featherweights this time.
The bout appeared to be a short one after Sonsona (19-1-1, 15KOs) sent Vasquez (23-4-1, 19 KOs) down with a body shot in the opening round.
But Sonsona failed to gain advantage on the early knockdown as the two fought a dragging fight that didn’t live up to the expectations.