Rusty Sonsona still too good in comeback fight

Photo by Lito Tecson, Cebu Daily News

CEBU CITY–The zing, sting and timing were wanting, but Marvin Sonsona’s innate talent still proved too much for Carlos Jacobo Saturday night.

Shrugging off a 20-month layoff, Sonsona knocked down the game Mexican in the eight round and showed flashes of brilliance to win his comeback fight with a 10-round unanimous decision at the Hoops Stadium in Lapu-Lapu City.

Two judges scored the bout dubbed “Back with a Vengeance” 98-91 while the third saw it 97-92 for the 21-year-old from Gen. Santos City.

Though elated by his 15th win, that included 12 knockouts, against a draw and a loss, Sonsona said he’s far from the from that made him the World Boxing Organization light flyweight champion as a 19-year-old in 2009.

“I struggled because of my long layoff,” said Sonsona in Filipino. “I need two or three more fights to be ready for big time bouts.”

Jacobo, whose record dropped to 16-4-1 with 14 knockouts, admitted that Sonsona was the better man in the headliner of the fight card presented by TV5 though AKTV.

“He (Sonsona) is strong and fast,” said Jacobo in Spanish. “His southpaw stance confused me.”

Assessing his performance, Sonsona said he needs to throw more punches and recover his timing.

Jacobo was gamely trading blows when Sonsona tagged him with an uppercut followed by a right, left straight combination.

The Mexican bantamweight champion went down but was able to beat the count just as the bell ending the eighth sounded.

Fight promoter Sonny Gello-ani said he wants Sonsona to fight again in December.

In the chief support of the fight card aired live over AKTV on IBC 13, Jessie Albaracin knocked out former Paba champion Marvin Tampus in the eighth round to retain his WBO super bantamweight crown.

Johnriel Casimero won by TKO over TI Yamagata Sentillas at the start of the second round.

Casimero downed Sentillas with a short right early in the first round and then landed another right as the bell sounded.

AKTV 5 manager Vito Lazatin said there are plans for the premier sports channel to stage monthly fight cards and quarterly title bouts throughout the country.

In another bout, Jason Canoy knocked out Ervin Pulvera with 1:12 to go in the first round.