Sonsona stops ex-world champ Pastrana in eight

CEBU, Philippines - The Filipino warriors who saw action in the undercard of the Pacquiao-Clottey showdown yesterday at the Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Texas met contrasting fates.

Philippine bantamweight champion Eden Sonsona kept his steady rise to stardom with an impressive eighth round TKO win over former world champion Mauricio Pastrana of Colombia.

The 21-year-old Sonsona, a protege of Manny Pacquiao, knocked down Pastrana in rounds three and eight before the referee intervened to stop the carnage at 1:32 of the eighth round.

It was Sonsona's only second fight in the United States since scoring a smashing second-round

stoppage of Israeli Eilon Kedem underneath the Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto brawl on November 14 last year at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Sosona now holds a 21-5 win-loss record dotted with 7KOs, while Pastrana fell to 35-13-2.

While Sonsona frolicked in the glow of success, World Professional Boxing Federation (WPBF) featherweight Michael Farenas couldn't take home a victory as his bout against Joe Morales of San Antonio, Texas was declared a no contest.

Upon the recommendation of the ringside physician, the referee stopped the match at 2:25 of the second round after an accidental head-butt opened a gaping gash over Morales' eye. – EBV (THE FREEMAN)