MANILA, Philippines – Filipino boxers Randy Petalcorin and Eden Sonsona will co-headline a show in General Santos City, Philippines, when they take the ring against separate opponents at Robinson’s Mall Atrium on Sunday, Dec. 4.

Petalcorin (24-2-1, 18 knockouts) will make his second ring appearance since his controversial loss to Omari Kimweri in April of this year, when referee Malcolm Bulner failed to call four knockdowns scored by Petalcorin. The fight took place in Australia and a panel of judges, which included Bulner’s wife, scored a split decision in favor of Kimweri in Australia.

A WBC protest of the decision upheld the official result though WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman concurred that “There were actions considered as knockdowns” but allowed that the missed calls could have been “wrong mechanics and not bad faith actions from (the) ref.”

Petalcorin will face Arnold Garde (7-3-2, 3 KOs), a 26-year-old, who, like Petalcorin, is from Davao province in the Philippines and has won his last four fights. A minor IBF belt will be at stake in the 12-round main event.

“I needed time off from the robbery. I got discouraged but I’m moving on and I’m working twice harder because I will become a father next year,” said Petalcorin, rated No. 2 by THE RING at 108 pounds, in a statement released by his promoter Sanman Promotions.

“Hopefully it’s all the way up now and I want IBF world champion Akira Yaegashi next.”

In an eight-round fight, Sonsona, the cousin of former WBO junior bantamweight titlist Marvin Sonsona, will return to the ring for the first time in 19 months when he faces Jaime Barcelona in a junior lightweight bout.

Sonsona (34-6-2, 12 KOs) hasn’t fought since his upset TKO win over previously unbeaten Mexican Adrian Estrella, a world-rated fighter who had a 22-0 record heading into their bout. Sonsona stopped him in two rounds.

Sonsona, who, despite being a pro for 12 years, is still just 27 years old and is fighting in his hometown for the first time in his career. He has signed with Sanman Promotions, says Sanman President Jim Claude Manangquil.

“We are planning to give him another fight in February, probably for a regional title just to clean the rust then bring him to USA for a fight,” said Manangquil.

The show is free to the public with the first bout scheduled for 3 p.m. Also in action are unbeaten prospects Reymart Gaballo (15-0, 13 KOs), Eden’s younger brother Lolito Sonsona (19-1-4, 8 KOs), John Vincent Moralde (17-0, 8 KOs) and Mike Plania (12-0, 5 KOs) in separate bouts.

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