Fists of the Future Final Press Conference

By Byron Spurlock
Photos: Josue Martinez –

The “Fists of the Future” press conference was held Thursday afternoon at the San Mateo Event Center for the fights this Saturday. Unbeaten WBO #2, IBF #4, WBC #10 junior featherweight “Prince” Albert Pagara (26-0, 18 KOs) headlines against former world title challenger Cesar “Corazon” Juarez (17-5, 10 KOs). In the co-feature, WBO #1 junior welterweight Jason “El Niño” Pagara (38-2, 23 KOs) meets Abraham “The Swift” Alvarez (21-9-1, 10 KOs).

“Prince” Albert Pagara

How does it feel to fight here in the United States?

I’m very excited and ready for the fight. The US is the mecca of boxing and I’m ready to give the fans a good showing.

On Juarez’ comments that Pagara isn’t at his level as a fighter.

(Smiling) Juarez says that I’m not at his level. Those results will be determined in the ring. We’ll see come this Saturday night.

What has been your reception since being here to the US and where have you been training?

The reception has been good and we’ve been training here at the “Undisputed Gym” in San Mateo, CA.

What has been some of your preparation for the upcoming fight against Juarez?

We’ve been studying the way Juarez fights and we’ve been watching how he throws his punches and how he takes punches and we’re ready for the fight. We’ve focused a lot on speed and stamina and footwork for this fight. We’re ready for whatever he comes at us with.

What does this fight mean to you as a Filipino and what is next for you?

It would be a deep honor for me to bring home the belt to the Philippines. I plan to leave here with a win. As for who I fight next after Juarez, it doesn’t matter who I fight next.

Cesar Juarez

What is your prediction for the fight this Saturday night?

It’s going to be a battle between us on this Saturday night, I feel that I’ll come out on top. I feel that I lost the last fight against Nonito Donaire because I was going through some personal issues and some hardships in my personal life. I want a rematch because I wasn’t healthy in the last fight. As for now, I’m very focused for this fight. I feel a lot better for this fight and I’m ready.

What do you feel about “Prince” Albert?

I consider Prince a good fighter but he doesn’t have the experience that I do.

What are your thoughts about fighting here in the United States?

It’s a great honor and I came here to win and that’s what is going to happen. In my country, this is an important and big fight that I have come Saturday night.

Edmund Villamor – Pagara Chief Trainer

When asked to comment on the statement that Cesar Juarez said “Prince Albert is not at my level with experience.”

Juarez says that we are not at his level but we are ranked #2 in the world so we will see come Saturday night if we are at Juarez’s level.

Promoter Michael Aldeguer

How excited are you to have a boxing card like this in the US?

We’re very happy to be a part of this and making this happen. This is going to be an exciting night because both fighters have something riding on the line for this fight…this is a make or break fight for Albert and I have a feeling that this is going to be a tough fight…winning a world title is the main goal for “Prince” Albert and he knows it’s going to be tough and you’re going to have to face tough fighters like Juarez.

Jason “El Nino” Pagara

How do you feel about Alvarez’ fighting style being that in the majority of this fights, he either wins by knockout or loses by knockout?

Alvarez’ fighting style is definitely favoring me and come Saturday night in the ring we are expecting a knockout.

Ricardo Baltazar – Juarez Trainer

When asked how ready is Cesar Juarez for his match against “Prince” Albert.

We are more than ready, “Prince” Albert has not faced someone like Juarez before.

Vince Rodriguez

There are plans to already have another ALA Boxing card fight in Carson, CA on September 24th. From there the plan is to fight here in the US more often. We are also hosting more fights in other countries as well such as Dubai. We all know that the US is the mecca of boxing and that is why we’re here to showcase these fighters. Mark my words, the fight card that we’re hosting on September 24th is going to be Philippines against Mexico.

         

www.fightnews.com/Boxing/fists-of-the-future-final-press-conference-345169

By Ronnie Nathanielsz –

Reigning WBO International light welterweight champion Jason “El Nino” Pagara knows he faces the fight of his life against cocky but highly-credentialed Mexican warrior Aaron “Jewel” Herrera who has a fearsome record of 17 knockouts in 25 wins with only one loss but said he is not awed by the Mexican’s record.

Pagara told a pre-fight press conference at the Waterfront Hotel that he had studied tapes of Herrera along with trainer Edmund Villamor and they both believe that Herrera’s style doesn’t pose a problem.

The youthful Pagara (30-2, 19 KO’s) told the Cebu media and ABS-CBN which will telecast the fight at 10:15 a.m. on Sunday over the pre-eminent Channel 2 with a 4:00 p.m. replay on Studio 23 that he will not promise anything “but you will see a knockout.”

Ranked No. 4 by the WBO a big win by Pagara would surely put him in line for a world title shot in the future according to WBO Asia Pacific vice president and fight supervisor Leon Panoncillo.

Villamor said Pagara was in probably the best shape of his life, had trained hard and was fully focused knowing the importance of an impressive victory.

But, if Herrera is to believed, it won’t be easy. The Mexican who is regarded as a devastating puncher is coming off back-to-back first round stoppages, scoring a 1st round knockout of experienced Jorge “Tigre” Pimentel and putting him away with vicious hook to the liver last July 21 after scoring a 1st round TKO over Zaid “The Terminator” Zavaleta on April 21, 2012.

Herrera said he had seen some of Pagara’s fights but was not impressed. He said he is two hundred percent ready is confident of winning since “this is the first time that he (Pagara) will face a good fighter.”

Exciting bell-to-bell slugger Jimrex “Executioner” Jaca (37-6-3, 21 KO’s) who some years ago gave Juan Manuel Marquez all he could handle before he got careless and was nailed with a cracking combination by the bloodied Mexican legend who won by a 9th round knockout is eager to move into the spotlight once again by winning the vacant WBO Oriental light welterweight title when clashes with another tough Mexican Jose Emilio Perea (29-2, 20KO’s).

Promising, undefeated super bantamweight Genesis “Azukal” Servania (19-0, 7 KO’s) who has impressed Top Rank’s matchmakers will clash with Isack Junior of Indonesia (20-3-2, 8 KO’s)in a ten round non-title contest.

Servania faces a must situation because Top Rank has already lined him up for a fight on the undercard of the WBC/WBA flyweight title fight between mandatory challenger Milan Melindo and Juan Francisco Estrada on July 27 in Macau.

http://philboxing.com/news/story-83649.html