Camden, NJ, super featherweight Jason “El Canito” Sosa, 18-1-4 (14), finished his training Wednesday for his WBA Super featherweight title challenge against Dominican Javier “El Abejon” Fortuna, 29-0-1 (21), of Braintree, MASS, at the Capital Gym, in Beijing, China, on June 24th!
Sosa’s promoter Top Rank will be co-promoting the show with one other world title bout in the co-feature. Sosa went 10 rounds of hitting the mitts today of Rashiem Jefferson, former Philadelphia 3 time PA State Golden Gloves champion and 15-1-1 as a professional until an injury ended his career. He is the assistant trainer to head trainer Raul “Chino” Rivas. Promoters J Russell Peltz and Brittany “BAM” Rogers, Adrienne Soto who along with Rivas had managed Sosa while both manage Anthony Burgin were in attendance along with fellow writer John DiSanto of Philly Boxing History.
Sosa scored 13 straight stoppages up until his last fight against former WBA featherweight and WBA Super featherweight champion Jamaican Nicholas Walters, now 26-0-1, in December of 2015 at Turning Stone Casino and Hotel in Verona, NY. Sosa is ranked No. 8 in the division while Walters remained at No. 1.
Fortuna had 12 fights in DR with 1 in the Virgin Islands at the beginning of his career against the usual record builders. He had a NC1 against Francisco Lorenzo, 34-8. He then fought in Mexico and came to the US only returning to DR for a pair of fights. His lone draw was against Cuban Luis Franco, 11-1, also winning a rematch with Lorenzo. He won the title in May of 2015 over Bryan Vasquez, 34-1, and defended his title in his last bout defeating Carlos Ivan Velasquez, 19-1, in September of 2015.
“I was anxious early in my career asking when am I going to fight for a title? I only had 3 amateur bouts while others fighters have been in the Olympics. Fighting Walters opened my eyes knowing I belong. I need to be smart and patient though I love going to war if I have to, but I can box. The atmosphere in this gym is like family,” said Sosa.
“It’s been 7 weeks in camp for Jason and he is in the best shape of his career. He has sparred with Orlando Cruz, Tevin Farmer and Anthony Burgin,” said Chino Rivas. Farmer and Burgin also train at the same gym. Referring to Farmer and Burgin Sosa said “it’s a blessing to have them.”
Sosa is one of the nicest young boxers I have ever met along with Farmer and Burgin. There will be many fans rooting for Sosa back in the states and PR where he won 3 bouts. Most of his fights have been in NJ and PA with 2 in NY. The site will certainly be a neutral site for both fighters.