Current OPBF Cruiserweight title-holder Dominic Vea (11-1, 9KO) will headline boxing action on Friday August 14 at Blacktown RSL in a unification bout against Moyoyo Mensah (18-7, 9KO) of Ghana. A win guarantees Vea, currently Australia’s No. 1 cruiserweight, a top-ten world ranking and a shot at a Commonwealth title..
The Blacktown local is keen to fight in front of a home crowd after producing a scintillating 7th round TKO over Anthony McCracken in early July. Since that bout, Vea has been procured by Danny Green as a sparring partner ahead of Green’s August 15 bout in the USA.
Dominic, of Italian and Tongan parentage, has risen through the ranks quickly, despite not having fought as an amateur. Mensah, however, presents Vea with his toughest challenge yet. “This fight will be a tough one. I pulled-up well last time and I’ve been preparing strongly since. My family gives me great support in the lead up to a fight,” says Vea.
“Dom breaks down an opponent’s body, which these days, is almost a forgotten art in boxing,” says Dylan Nye, Head Trainer at Mt Druitt’s Core Strength Gym. “He had a strong hit-out against Anthony McCracken last month, so we are expecting big things from Dom next up. He has great power; his last three opponents have left the ring with broken ribs.”
The Vea – Mensah headline bout and undercard is being promoted by Old School Grange Boxing and will be televised on Fox Sports 3 as part of Jeff Fenech Fight Night.
Tickets: Contact Dylan Nye 0458 045 000
About Dominic Vea:
Dominic is the No. 1 ranked cruiserweight in Australia (BoxRec) and has been boxing professionally since November 2005. He did not fight as an amateur.
Record: 12 fights for 11 wins (9 KO) and 1 loss.
He has held the OPBF (Oriental & Pacific Boxing Federation) cruiserweight title since defeating Japanese champion Ryosuke Takahashi in Japan in 2007.
BoxRec, the world’s boxing ranking authority lists Dominic as Australia’s 7th highest pound for pound fighter, just below other boxing notables such as Anthony Mundine and Danny Green.
Sonsona Out to Topple WBO Champ Lopez
RAMA, ON (Wednesday, July 29th, 2009) – On Friday, September 4th, the eyes of the boxing world will be on Casino Rama, in Rama, Ontario, as one of the sport’s budding superstars, 19 year-old “Marvelous” Marvin Sonsona (13-0, 12 KO’s) tries to become one of the youngest world boxing champions of the modern era, when he takes on hard-hitting WBO Jr. Bantamweight World Champion Jose Lopez (39-7-2, 32 KO’s) in the co-main event of Rumble at Rama IX.
Former IBF Junior Featherweight champ “The Canadian Kid” Steve Molitor (29-1, 11 KO’s) highlights the evening’s other co-feature, opposite an opponent still to be determined.
Sonsona – who, like his superstar compatriot, Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao, is a southpaw hailing from General Santos City, in the Philippines – became one of the brightest blips on the boxing radar this past May, in only his 13th career fight, laying waste to two-time world champion Wandee Singwancha in the second round courtesy of a crushing left to the jaw.
“This kid is, without a doubt, the future of the sport of boxing,” said Orion Sports Management President Allan Tremblay, who recently joined a promotional consortium headed by Sampson Lewkowich, and in doing so, obtained Sonsona’s Canadian promotional rights.
“Limitless potential like Sonsona’s is a rarity. When you see what this kid was able to do as an 18 year-old, and what he’s capable of down the road, I have no doubt that in a couple of years, when Manny Pacquiao has retired, he’ll be the number-one boxing superstar in the Philippines.”
But, no matter how bright Sonsona’s future appears, don’t expect Lopez, from Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico, to meekly surrender his title to a fighter some 18 years his junior.
The 37 year-old hasn’t lost in almost eight years, following up a September 2001 decision loss to then WBO Flyweight champion Fernando Montiel with a sixteen fight unbeaten streak that includes nine wins inside the distance.
This will be Lopez’ first defense of the title he won this past March courtesy of a 12 round unanimous decision over Thailand’s Pramuansak Posuwan, in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.
“This is one of those battles that tries to answer age-old question of youth, speed, and potential, versus experience and know-how,” Tremblay said.
“Plus, from a style perspective alone, this fight is a war, never mind the fact that you have a brilliant, but still green, Sonsona, vying for his first world title, taking on one of the most battletested fighters in the world in Lopez.”
Canadian Heavyweight champion, Greg “The Steel Pole” Kielsa (10-0, 5 KO’S) will also step through the ropes on the Rumble at Rama IX undercard, as will all-action warriors Justin Fountain, Felix Mercedes, and Pedro DeMello.
“The Rumble at Rama series is known for providing boxing fans with world-class fights and we’re very excited to be adding this WBO title match which features the next hottest fighter in the sport to that list “ says Jeff Craik, Vice President, Marketing for Casino Rama.
“This fight, along with the match featuring Steve Molitor, should provide fans with a whole new level of live sports entertainment”.
Held in Casino Rama’s state-of-the-art 5,200 seat Entertainment Centre, the Rumble at Rama series has firmly established the Casino as the premier venue in which to see the Big Time Excitement of a world-class fight in Ontario. Rumble at Rama IX takes place on Friday, September 4th, with the undercard bouts getting underway at 8:00 pm.
The Molitor fight and the WBO title match between Lopez and Sonsona will be shown on TSN in Canada, and both bouts will also be seen on national carrier coverage in both the Philippines and Puerto Rico.
Tickets for Rumble at Rama IX will be $125, $75, $50 and $25 and are available in-person at the Casino Rama Box Office, and at all TicketMaster locations, by calling (416) 870-8000 and online at http://www.casinorama.com/. Ticket prices do not include applicable taxes or service charges.
World Champion To Attend Fight Promoter University
The student body for Fight Promoter University VI just got a little more interesting as former World Welterweight Champion Fernando Vargas along with two associates enrolled for the August 13-16 session of Fight Promoter University, it was announced today by FPU founder Roy Englebrecht.
“I have talked to Fernando several times over the past 10 months, and he really wants to become a successful fight promoter,” said Englebrecht. “He has an interest in both boxing and mixed martial arts promotions, and is excited to attend FPU VI that kicks off in less than three weeks.”
Vargas joins a FPU VI group that also sees future promoters coming from as far as Japan and Austria, along with a number of states. FPU VI commences at the Irvine Marriott on the afternoon of Thursday, August 13th, with graduation the afternoon of Sunday, August 16th. While at FPU VI students will observe as well as participate in the SummerFist 3 show scheduled for Saturday, August 15th in the Grand Ballroom of the Irvine Marriott, and attend classes and hear from 10 Guest Speakers.
FPU VI applications are still being accepted, and as a special incentive, all people attending FPU VI will recieve the FPU 15 DVD Box Set. Go to www.fightpromoteruniversity.com for information and application form.