Sonsona continues comeback versus Fulgencio Saturday

“MARVELOUS” Marvin Sonsona was brave enough to admit getting into alcohol abuse and utter neglect. Now, the former world champion is out to prove he can pick up the pieces and get back into his old fighting form.

Sporting his dye-blond bangs, the 21-year-old from Gen. Santos City faced the media yesterday to hype his fight against a tall and dangerous Carlos “El Flaco’’ Fulgencio of Dominican Republic for a super bantamweight non-title fight on March 17 at the Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.

“I lost desire in boxing,’’ Sonsona told the Inquirer in Filipino, referring to his downward spiral after his fourth-round knockout loss to Wilfredo Vazquez Jr., in February of 2010. “I didn’t do drugs, but I admit I turned to drinking.’’

The 5-foot-7 Sonsona bared that his weight ballooned to 150 pounds during his 20-month hiatus that ended last October, when he decisioned Carlos Jacobo of Mexico in his comeback fight also at Hoops Dome.

“He was too young then, imagine he won the world title at 19. So he’s very immature and didn’t know how to spend his money. Even his parents can’t control him,’’ said his manager Sammy Gelo-Ani, who added that he didn’t give Sonsona a fight immediately to “punish him.’’

But now Sonsona (15-1-1, 12 knockouts) vowed that he’s serious in taking the comeback trail. “I have decided that boxing is my life. I don’t want to be bum anymore,’’ added the soft-spoken boxer who clinched the WBO super fly title via a unanimous decision win over Jose Lopez in Ontario, Canada, in 2009.

After his fight against Fulgencio, Sonsona is scheduled for another match on May 13 to gauge his preparedness to train in the United States under the same stable as Argentine champion Sergio Martinez.

Standing in Sonsona’s way to redemption is Fulgencio (19-5-1), who has won his last four fights, three of them via KOs. His five defeats, however, also ended via stoppages.

Sharing the spotlight as co-mainer is unbeaten Froilan “The Sniper’’ Saludar, who will stake his WBO Asia Pacific and Youth titles against challenger Alejandro Morales of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico.