Pinoy trio in world title bouts today

MANILA, Philippines - WBC lightflyweight champion Rodel Mayol stakes his crown against Omar Niño Romero while two other Filipinos, Marvin Sonsona and Juanito Rubillar Jr. bid for their own belts in three world title bouts in three countries this morning (Sunday time).

Unprecedented in ring history, the incidence of three Filipino fighters seeing action in championship matches in different countries on the same weekend is a testament to the global recognition of those following in Manny Pacquiao’s footsteps.

But it won’t be easy sailing for the Filipinos. They’re all fighting on hostile territory, yielding the homecourt advantage to their opponents.

Mayol, 28, is making the first defense of the 108-pound diadem he wrested from Edgar Sosa on a second round stoppage in Chiapas, Mexico, last November. And Pacquiao’s protégé from Mandaue is facing former champion Omar Nino Romero in Guadalajara.

Sosa suffered a triple fracture of the cheekbone in losing to Mayol and blamed a headbutt for the injury, causing a distraction that led to his knockout defeat. The controversial ending puts pressure on Romero to avenge Sosa’s setback.

Romero, 33, won the WBC crown on a decision over Brian Viloria in 2006 then was stripped of the title for testing positive for illegal drug use after battling to a majority draw with the Hawaiian Punch in a rematch. Romero was suspended a year and has come back with a bang, winning his last three outings, including a technical decision over Rubillar. Romero’s record is 28-3-1, with 11 KOs compared to 26-4-1, with 20 KOs, for Mayol.

WBC president Jose Sulaiman, a Mexican of Lebanese descent, has assured Mayol of fair scoring in the fight. The referee will be Vic Drakulich of Nevada with Stephen Blea, Nathan Palmer and Gary Ritter as judges.

At the Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, Sonsona attempts to bag his second world title at local favorite Wilfredo Vazquez Jr.’s expense. Both fighters are unbeaten and will dispute the vacant WBO superbantamweight crown.

Sonsona, 19, is making a jump from the superflyweight division after he was stripped of the 115-pound title at the weigh-in for his bout against Alejandro Hernandez in Ontario last November. Sonsona managed to preserve his unblemished record by holding Hernandez to a 12-round draw.

Vazquez Jr., 25, is coming off a seventh round knockout over Genaro Garcia and boasts a pedigree that is traced to his father Wilfredo Sr., a Puerto Rican legend who held the WBA bantamweight, superbantamweight and featherweight titles. Vazquez Jr. has a record of 17-0-1, with 14 KOs, while Sonsona’s card is 14-0-1, with 12 KOs.

In Sonsona’s corner will be interim WBA superflyweight champion Nonito Donaire’s father Dodong.

“This is a tough fight for Marvin,” said Donaire. “He’s moving up two weight classes so quickly without testing the waters and it’s in Vazquez’ hometown. But my dad is one of the best trainers in the business. I know what my dad can do. I’m confident Marvin can pull through. I’ve watched Vazquez fight and I saw weaknesses in his defense that Marvin will exploit. I wish Marvin and my dad all the best.”

Rubillar, 33, is in the twilight of a long career that began in 1994. He takes on Hekkie (The Hexecutioner) Budler, 20, for the vacant IBO lightflyweight crown at the Emperor’s Palace in Kempton Park, Gauteng, South Africa.

When Rubillar made his pro debut, Budler was only four years old. Budler’s record is 13-0, with five KOs, and 11 of his bouts were staged at the Emperor’s Palace, his happy hunting grounds.

Rubillar’s experience in compiling a 48-13-7 record, with 23 KOs, is an advantage and he can’t afford to waste this big break after losing in four attempts to win a world crown since 1999.

Rubillar is fresh from beating Jose Guadalupe Martinez by split decision in Tamaulipas, Mexico, for the WBC Continental Americas crown last November and will attempt to thwart Budler whose adviser is former WBO lightflyweight and flyweight champion Baby Jake Matlala, one of South Africa’s ring legends. Matlala fought from 1980 to 2002 and victimized two Filipinos, Ric Magramo and Pretty Boy Lucas, during his career.

If Rubillar defeats Budler, it will be sweet revenge as the Filipino lost to a South African, Zolani Petelo, in his first try for a world title in Cambridgeshire, England, in 1999. Petelo won by unanimous decision to retain his IBF minimumweight crown. Rubillar went on to lose three more title fights to Jorge Arce, Sosa and Giovanni Segura.