Is Camden, NJ, Super Feather Jason “El Canito” Sosa A Diamond in the Rough?

By Ken Hissner, Doghouse Boxing (Aug 28, 2013)
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They say the pen is mightier than the sword. As a writer I may have spoke out to the wrong group hearing Camden’s Jason Sosa’s followers complaining about getting “another draw” with Philly’s unbeaten lightweight Angel Ocasio, 6-0-2, at the National Guard Armory in April of 2012.

This writer knowing Ocasio went over and proclaimed “you were lucky to get the draw”. If looks could kill I wouldn’t be writing this. His friends were not too thrilled. I walked away and here comes this guy with a mean look on his face from the group and I recognize its former Camden boxer Miguel Figueroa, 24-6-2 (14).

At 35 he still looked like he was in fighting shape. He won the IBA Americas title at lightweight. Things cooled off and I eventually became a fan of Jason “El Canito” Sosa’s. It’s hard not liking this 25 year old super featherweight. He since dropped down a division since the second Ocasio fight.

This good looking young boxer whose 9-1-3 (5) record is quite impressive considering “I was 1-2 in the amateurs” he says with a smile! He started boxing professionally with Miguel Martine as his trainer when he was 21 scoring a knockout at the legendary Blue Horizon in North Philly. He was 3-0-1 before running into his only conqueror Treysean Wiggins, then 1-0 a tall southpaw.

Two months prior to this fight Sosa was 128 defeating Clinton B. Douglas, 3-3-2, but came in at 138 for the taller Wiggins at 142 with Sosa hitting the canvas 3 times in the 1st. “It wasn’t my toughest opponent, Ocasio was”, said Sosa. He would be off for 13 months after this his only loss.

In June Wiggins with 3 straight knockout wins found himself on the canvas against fellow southpaw Jerome Rodriguez, 3-0-1, in a Sands Casino fight in Bethlehem, PA, before he dropped the latter. It was all over in the second with Rodriguez the winner in the fight of the night. This past week Wiggins was back with a knockout win.

The first draw with Ocasio was the first 6 rounder for the then 4-1-1 Sosa. It was Ocasio’s second 6. It was a majority draw at the Philly Armory in the North East. Not only did Sosa jump from a 4 to a 6 but in the rematch 3 months later in April of 2012 promoter Greg Robinson of Power Productions brought him back for an 8 rounder in the main event! Another majority draw was the result for the vacant WPBF USBC lightweight title. Sosa got Alan Rubenstein’s vote 78-75 with a score of 76-76 from the other two judges.

It would be 5 months before returning to the ring with a majority win in 4 over Esteban Rodriguez, 6-2-1, at Bethlehem’s Sands Casino for Peltz Boxing. He took on a new trainer in Chino Rivas. Peltz knows how to move a fighter but doesn’t believe in doing it by fighting stiffs. In less than a month Sosa was back in with Douglas again stopping him in 3 rounds in a 6. He would come in at 129 and announce he is no longer a lightweight. Nice improvement over the decision he won over Douglas 2 years previously.

Sosa would end 2012 stopping Lancaster, PA, boxer Isaac Suarez, 7-1, in round 2 of a 6 at Temple University’s McGonigle Hall in Philly. Starting off 2013 Main Events whom Peltz co-promotes with and serves as a matchmaker put Sosa in “foreign territory with East Hartford, CT, New England super featherweight champion (in previous fight) Joseph Perez, 10-1, at the Mohegan sun Casino, in Uncasville, CT, in a 6 rounder. Perez was on a 5 round win streak but found himself on the canvas in rounds 1 and 4 before referee Johnny Callas called it to a halt at 2:10 of the 4^th round. “I knew fighting in his territory I would have to score a knockout and did,” said Sosa.

It would be 5 months before Sosa would return to the ring in June against tough Georgian Georgi Kevlishvili, 12-5, who had only been stopped once, in his last fight in Russia in 2009 before leaving for the US. Sosa took the 1^st round but found himself on the canvas in the 2^nd only to come back and take the 3^rd evening the scores on all 3 judges cards 28-28. In the 4^th Sosa would stop his opponent at the 2:21 mark as top referee Steve “SS” Smoger called a halt. “He was very awkward having that European style,” said Sosa.

Sosa is co-managed by Adrienne Soto (Pictured above) and Rivas along with being promoted by J Russell Peltz of Peltz Boxing. “Jason is a very special person and boxer unlike most and I truly believe that his dedication and drive to perfect his craft is what will separate him from others in the ring. He always gives 150%. He strives to be a “beast” as he tells me all the time! But he is also very sensitive. He along with my other boxer, Anthony Burgin, 5-0 (2), accompanied me to my daughter’s (Pictured above) school for career day this year to help me explain what my job as a manager is like and the kids loved it! Jason was very excited for Chino and I to open the gym because he wanted a gym that felt like his home and I’m very happy we were able to accomplish that goal. We are expecting to have a huge grand opening in late September. The name of the gym is Guts & Glory Boxing and fitness,” said Soto. She and Rivas are opening the gym together.

“Has been a pleasant surprise; a completely different fighter since he has been with Chino Rivas. Great attitude, great style and fights everyone,” said Peltz. Two of the fighters Sosa spars with on a regular basis are Burgin and Farmer. “He’s very strong as a fighter and has a helluva right hand,” said Burgin. In talking with Farmer who is a slick southpaw in comparison to the taller Burgin whose had many more amateur fights. “Strong! He can come at you like a bull and you can’t hurt him or he can use good movement,” said Farmer.

Asked how he got interested in boxing Sosa said, “I was about 19 or 20 lying down and thought about boxing. I went to the Miguel Figueroa Boxing Club and later sparred with Mike “No Joke” Stewart a contender who once appeared on “the Contender” series. He told me don’t give it up. You got it”, said Sosa.

Sosa was originally scheduled to fight on August 24^th at Bally’s in Atlantic City but moved back to September 26^th against NJ’s Tyrone Luckey, 5-3 (5), at the Sand’s in Bethlehem. Luckey lost a split decision last year to Tevin “American Idol” Farmer who is one of the boxers along with Sosa who is trained by Rivas at Rocco Collisions Gym in Blackwood, NJ. Rivas also trains unbeaten Philly boxer Anthony Burgin who is promoted by Peltz. Mark Cipparone, owner of Rocco’s has Farmer, Miguel Cartagena and Eric Hunter in his stable of fighters and made room in his facility for a small gym.

Watch for Jason “El Canito” Sosa come September 26^th in the 8 round co-feature against Tyrone Luckey who may be lucky in name only as the opponent of Sosa!

Ken Hissner responds to all his emails at: kenhissner@gmail.com