Friday, June 29, 2007 Mayol gets new title shot By Rommel C. Manlosa Sun.Star Staff Reporter
RODEL “Magnum Force” Mayol has no regrets leaving Japanese manager Yasuo Matsuoka now that his current manager helped him booked a world title fight.
Mayol will challenge Mexican Edgar Sosa for the WBC light flyweight belt underneath the Erik Morales vs. David Diaz WBC lightweight championship on Aug. 4 at the All State Arena in Chicago, Illinois.
Mayol left the Matsuokas to join his former managers Joy Ouano and Terry Lee Carter of the Stonewall Boxing Club in Ashburn, Georgia last April 15.
Nearly a month after he left for the US, Mayol filed a petition in the Games and Amusement Board to rescind his contract with Matsuoka while hoping he could get a chance to fight for the world title again.
Yesterday, Ouano announced that Mayol was booked by Top Rank’s Bob Arum, with the help of Michael Koncz, to challenge Sosa. Sosa won the belt after beating Filipino-American Brian Viloria last April 14 in San Antonio.
Defense
Sosa was also scheduled to fight his No.1 contender, Luis Alberto Lazarte of Argentina, on July 28 in Mexico but it’s doubtful it will push through since the Mayol fight commands a bigger purse.
The Mandaue City-native fighter, who once failed to win a world title when he lost by unanimous decision to Eagle Kyowa in May last year, is now resolved to bring home the world title after learning from his mistakes in his lone defeat.
Carrying a fearsome record of 23 wins against 1 loss with 18 KOs, Mayol will be fighting in a more comfortable weight division since the 105-pound division was too tough on him.
On the other hand, Sosa, who got in the consciousness of Filipino boxing fans in scoring a majority decision over Viloria, holds a decent record of 27-5, with 14 KOs.
Since his second defeat to the current IBF 108-pound champion Ulises Solis in September 2003, Sosa has not lost in 15 fights, winning seven by knockouts. Among his victims was former WBA 105-pound champion Noel Arambulet of Venezuela.
Aside from his two losses to Solis, Sosa also lost to the current WBC No.6, WBA No.8 and IBF No.9 contender Manuel Vargas and former champions Omar Niño Romero and Isaac Bustos.
Mayol, who is just doing light training in Georgia, will be in Top Rank Gym in Las Vegas for his full blast training this Saturday.
