RAMA, Ont.–Minutes after "Marvelous" Marvin Sonsona and Alejandro Hernandez fought to a 12-round draw, and seconds after ring announcer Jake Gutierrez made the result official, the P.A. system at Casino Rama's Auditorium blared a familiar tune – Kool and The Gang's "Celebrate."
But the 10th installment of the Rumble at Rama series didn't give Orion Sports Management much to cheer about.
Promoter Allan Tremblay planned the fight card as a showcase for the top talent under his promotional umbrella – rising star Sonsona, rebounding former champ Steve Molitor and new Filipino find Ciso Morales.
Then all three men struggled.
Sonsona, who gave up his WBO junior bantamweight title in the morning when he couldn't meet the 115-pound weight limit, salvaged his undefeated record with a draw against Lopez.
Meanwhile his compatriot, Morales, slogged through eight tough rounds against Mexico's Miguel Gonzales, winning a decision many fans thought he lost.
Molitor also won, but hit the canvas against Jose Saez before outclassing the Argentine journeyman. Some fans booed as the unanimous decision was announced.
Despite lacklustre performances from his top prospects, Tremblay remains optimistic about world titles in the first quarter of 2010.
Molitor remains the IBF's number two contender and is line to face South Africa's Takalani Ndlovu in March.
"We've done our job in getting him (rated)," Tremblay said. "Opportunities abound."
Tremblay says the same about Sonsona, though the 19-year-old Filipino phenom will have to seek those paydays at 122 pounds.
Sonsona was 117.6 pounds Saturday morning, 2.6 pounds above the junior bantamweight limit. Unable to make weight for a title defence, he was forced to vacate his belt, then forfeit a percentage of his purse.
In the co-main event, Molitor chased Saez early as the Argentine circled the ring, wary of the bigger fighter's power.
In the fifth, Molitor fired a left hand lead between Saez' gloves, sending the 35-year-old staggering backward. A year to the day after losing his IBF junior lightweight title in this same ring, Molitor stalked toward Saez and prepared to finish the fight.
Then Saez dropped him.
A short left hook clipped Molitor's chin and sent him sprawling to the canvas for the first time in three fights since losing the belt.
Molitor recovered from the shot to win a unanimous decision, but he struggled against an opponent handpicked to showcase him, and hardly looked like the champ in waiting his handlers need him to be. Molitor said the knockdown hurt his ego more than his chin.
"For me it's humiliating (because) I had him hurt," said Molitor, now 31-1 (12KO). "It's frustrating. I'm a perfectionist. It really got under my skin."
Source: thestar.com
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