“He is my idol! All the Filipino boxers idolize Manny. Nobody will ever be like he him. He's one of a kind,” Sonsona told Lorne Scoggins of 8countnews.com.
Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs) and Sonsona (14-0-1, 12 KOs) are both southpaws and General Santos City natives.
Sonsona, 19, won the WBO super flyweight title by defeating 37-year-old Jose “Carita” Lopez by unanimous decision at the Casino Rama in Ontario, Canada last September.
He, however, vacated his title when he failed to make the 115-pound limit last November. His title defense against Mexican Alejandro “Payasito” Hernandez ended in a draw.
The teenage boxer will aim to win a world title again on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) against Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. (17-0-1, 14 KOs) for the vacant WBO super bantamweight title. Sonsona will be moving up from the super flyweight division.
When asked if he plans to win in different weight classes just like 7-division world champion Pacquiao, Sonsona said only his idol can achieve such feat.
“No. Manny is the only one who can do so well at many different weight classes. Nobody can follow in his footsteps because he is the best and he made his own way. For me, whatever opportunities Jesus gives me I'll take."
Sonsona naturally predicted that Pacquiao will prevail over Ghanaian Joshua Clottey on March 13 at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
“I think Manny will win this fight. He's very good at what he does,” Sonsona stated.
He also told PhilBoxing.com: “Manny is Manny. It’s hard following in his footsteps but all I can be is my best and, hopefully, bring another world title home.”
Well-prepared
The Sonsona vs Vasquez is featured in “The Double Assault” event which will take place at the Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.
He mentioned that fighting in his opponent's hometown is not bothersome as he believes the judges will be fair. He added that he has “a lot” of Puerto Rican fans.
The Filipino teen fighter also noted that he is well-prepared for the title fight. He is shaping up in Puerto Rico after training in San Leandro, California.
“For me, I'll do my best and the rest is up to the Lord to decide who's going to win, but for my part, I'm going to give everything I got to win this fight.”
He appealed, “I'd like to ask everyone to please pray for me and all the boxers who want to be world champions, and on this Saturday, please say a special prayer for me to win this fight. It is for the honor of our country.”
Source: Author Unknown | abs-cbnnew.com
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