Zolani Tete v Victor Ruiz Photo Credit: Action Images / Craig Brough –

By:  Herman Gibbs –

CAPE TOWN – Eastern Cape bantamweight Zolani ‘Last Born’ Tete oozed class over 12 rounds on his way to an emphatic points win over Filipino Arthur Villanueva on Saturday’s ‘City of Champions’ card at Leicester Arena, England.

The fight was a title eliminator for the WBO bantamweight crown held by Filipino Marlon Tapales who claimed the belt last July. Tete was in command from the opening bell and in the 11th round, he dropped Villanueva.

After 12 rounds, Tete was declared the unanimous points winner with scores of 120-107 and 119-108 (twice). Despite the huge margins, the fight was not one-sided but on the occasions when Villanueva broke through his opponent’s defences, Tete responded almost immediately with telling counter-punches to wrest back the initiative.

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Frank Warren 

 Tete is putting on a masterclass here in Leicester! Heading towards another belt.”

 

Meanwhile, in an interesting development, WBO President Francisco ‘Paco’ Valcarcel, announced before the start of the bout that Tapales had been stripped of the title because he failed to make weight at the weigh-in for his scheduled defence against Japan’s Shohei Omori on Sunday in Osaka Japan.

As Tete’s bout against Villanueva was originally scheduled to be an elimination bout to determine the mandatory challenger for the WBO bantamweight title, it was elevated to an interim title fight. In the event of Omori winning, he’ll be declared the champion.

Previously, the Mdantsane-born Tete, 29, won the IBF super flyweight title in December 2015. Tete fights under the banner of British promoter Frank Warren. During the pre-fight announcements, Tete and one of his cornermen wore a T-shirt bearing the late Nick Durandt’s photo with the words RIP. A few years ago, Tete was trained by Durandt.

www.iol.co.za/sport/boxing/sas-tete-all-class-as-he-reigns-supreme-to-win-wbo-interim-title-8779988

C4OCvgiWAAA4W7x  By Elliot Foster –

Zolani Tete is set to return to the ring later this month as he looks to claim another world title.

The former IBF super-flyweight world champion, who beat Ellesmere Port’s former bantamweight king Paul Butler in March, 2015 before relinquishing due to be offered a paltry purse for a mandatory defence against McJoe Arroyo, has been out of the ring since last June.

South Africa’s Tete (24-3, 20 KOs) will box in Manchester, at the city’s Arena, on April 8, exclusively live on BoxNation and BT Sport.

The 28-year-old southpaw, whose nickname is ‘Last Born’, was handed a final eliminator for the WBO bantamweight world title at the sanctioning body’s recent convention and it was set to happen on November 26, 2016 in Cardiff, Wales.

But the Queensberry Promotions confirmed on Thursday that Tete will return against Arthur Villanueva of Philippines on the ‘A New Era’ card in which features two debut outings and a world title as well as cracking domestic showdown, with further clashes to be revealed in due course.

Villanueva, 27, has a record of 30-1 (16 KOs) and is a former challenger to Tete’s old IBF belt at 115 pounds, but the pair are set to meet a division north at bantamweight as they each look for the opportunity to come up against current Boxing Organisation king in the division Marlon Tapales.

The current WBO Asia-Pacific champion Villanueva is coming off the back of a stunning second-round knockout against Mexico’s Juan Jimenez in California.

“It has always been my dream to fight for another world title,” said Tete. “I’m very excited about the fight but I know it is one that I can’t lose if I want another belt around my waist.

“I want to be known as one of the best fighters in the world and clean up the rest of the belts, but first I have to get my hands on the WBO bantamweight title and to do that I need to beat Villanueva.

“From what I have seen of him I can tell he’s a strong fighter and hopefully he will put up a good fight against me but Zolani Tete will be victorious on the night.

“I’m delighted to be returning to the UK. It’s a great feeling and I won’t disappoint my UK fans. I’m going to put on an exciting show like always.”

The card is headlined by Terry Flanagan’s fifth WBO lightweight title defence against number two-rated Petr Petrov and features the debut of double Olympic champion Nicola Adams as well as star amateur Daniel Dubois, James Metcalf features and there is a mouth watering clash between Liam Williams and Liam Smith for the former’s WBO European super-welterweight title.

In other news, Steve Wood of VIP Promotions has announced a Central Area title showdown between holder Adam Ismail and challenger Andy Colquhoun.

The pair, who campaign at welterweight, will clash on March 24 at Robin Park Sports & Tennis Centre in Wigan, supported by a solid undercard. The show will be streamed exclusively live on VIP Boxing TV.

Also on the VIP schedule, Scott Fitzgerald returns home to Preston –– at the Guild Hall –– on March 11 and Wood, who is also the manager of the aforementioned Flanagan, also has a show scheduled for February 18 at Manchester’s Victoria Warehouse as well as March 18 at the Devonshire Dome in Buxton, with Jack Massey topping the bill.

And another Steve Wood-managed fighter in the shape of Ryan Mulcahy has had his ring return date handed to him.

‘The Monk’, who is undefeated in seven with two early, confirmed that he has been added to the undercard of Matchroom Boxing’s next Liverpool card.

The show, which has yet to be formally announced, will take place at the ECHO Arena on April 22, will be exclusively live on Sky Sports and is expected to feature WBC International super-middleweight champion Rocky Fielding and Mulcahy’s new gym-mate Tom Farrell among others.

Elsewhere, Anthony Yarde, the Ilford ‘Beast’ who has already made his US debut, is set for his ring return.

Yarde, 25 is 9-0 with eight early and will be looking to get into double figures in the paid code when he boxes at Leicester Arena on April 22, exclusively live on BT Sport and BoxNation.

www.boxingscene.com/zolani-tete-vs-arthur-villanueva-added-flanagan-petrov-april-8-manchester–113450?print_friendly=1

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Jason Pagara / Photo by Ryan Songalia –

DAVAO, Philippines – Filipino junior welterweight Jason Pagara capped the “Pinoy Pride 29″ card at the University of Southeastern Philippines Gym with a second-round blowout win over Cesar Chavez.

Pagara (35-2, 22 knockouts) dropped Chavez (24-8, 12 KOs) twice in the first round and once more in the second before referee Bruce McTavish stopped it at the 1:56 mark, sending Chavez to his eighth loss, all by knockout.

Pagara dropped Chavez early in the fight with a left hook to the body. With a knee on the canvas, Chavez took another hard right hand that gave him a good reason to stay down.

Chavez rose up, living up to his nickname “El Dolar,” which he says was given to him because he goes up and down like the foreign exchange rate. He was dropped again later in the round on a flurry of punches, perhaps feeling overwhelmed. The final knockdown in the next stanza came off of a lunging left hook from Pagara.

With the Sinaloa, Mexico, native down on the canvas and holding his right eye, the referee saw no reason to continue the bout.

“I’m ready for the next level,” said the Cagayan de Oro, Philippines, native Pagara, who has now won eight straight since his upset loss to Rosbel Montoya in 2011.

With virtually no domestic fighters in his weight class, Pagara’s opposition has been questionable at times. He says he wants to test himself against more formidable opposition, namely RING junior welterweight champion Danny Garcia and former 140-pound unified champion Amir Khan.

Pagara’s promoter, Michael Aldegeur of ALA Boxing, says the plan is to relocate Pagara to the United States this year to train in the Los Angeles area, where he can find the necessary sparring to improve.

Aldegeur says Pagara will fight on the company’s first U.S. card in San Diego on May 23 before having a step-up fight at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., in September.

“Jason has always been someone who has been in question,” said Aldegeur. “People ask if he’s the real deal. When he comes up and fights some of the big names, that’s when we’ll be able to get some real answers.”

Pagara’s trainer, Edito Villamor, doesn’t put much stock into Chavez’s past shortcomings, however. He feels Pagara had a job to do it and accomplished it early.

“We don’t base off of the record. Mexicans are Mexican fighters. He got hit,” said Villamor.

 Servania scores lackluster win

If Pagara’s opponent brought out the best in him, Juan Luis Hernandez brought out the worst in Genesis Servania. For twelve rounds, Servania chased after the Tijuana, Mexico, resident in a fight that drew boos from the crowd on several occasions.

The 23-year-old Servania, who is currently rated the No. 1 contender to WBO junior featherweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux (who also holds the RING and WBA belts), was unable to keep his three-fight knockout streak alive as Hernandez came to survive.

Servania (26-0, 11 KOs) started the bout strongly, landing effective left hooks to the body. His jab was absent for long stretches of the bout, however, and at times Servania left himself open for Hernandez’s counterpunches.

The fight seemed on the verge of becoming an all-out brawl in Round 10 when a left hook and a right hand turned Hernandez (17-4-1, 9 KOs) along the ropes. As Servania went to capitalize, Hernandez took chances to counter. Both fighters traded blows until the final bell.

“The opponent is not fighting. He kept running, he was on survival mode,” said Villamor of Servania,rated No. 4 by THE RING at 122 pounds, afterward. “Genesis’ performance was good; his opponent was the problem.”

 Villanueva outguns former champ Miranda

Arthur Villanueva rejuvenated his image as a future contender with a one-sided drubbing of faded former WBO flyweight champion Julio Cesar Miranda in a ten-round junior bantamweight fight. Two judges saw it for Villanueva by the score 98-93 while the third scored it 99-91.

Villanueva (27-0, 14 KOs), who is rated No. 6 by THE RING at 115 pounds, controlled the bout early, digging hooks and straight rights to Miranda’s midsection that slowed the 34-year-old down later on.

Despite being clearly shopworn, Miranda (38-12-2, 29 KOs) remained tough and tricky throughout, switching stances and throwing punches from awkward angles that found their way around Villanueva’s guard.

There were no knockdowns in the bout and Miranda eventually adapted to Villanueva’s power to coast to his inevitable defeat.

The win provides a much-needed boost for Villanueva after flat performances in his last two bouts against Fernando Aguilar and Henry Maldonado.

“I never mind that before,” said Villanueva, when asked if his confidence was affecting by those outings. “I only focused for my fight with Miranda.”

Miranda, who won a flyweight title in 2010 and made three defenses before losing it in a close bout with Brian Viloria, has now lost six of his last nine bouts, with one draw.

Earlier in the night, 19-year-old Mark Magsayo (10-0, 8 KOs) of Tagbilaran City scored a fifth-round technical knockout of Thai Sukkasem Kietyongyuth (13-4, 8 KOs) at the 2:19 mark in a ten-round featherweight bout.

Magsayo set the first knockdown up with a left hook to the body-left uppercut to the chin sequence which blinded Kietyongyuth to the right hand that followed up. The Thai rose up quickly but was met by a two-fisted barrage from Magsayo, who pounded the body to set up bigger punches up top.

As Kietyongyuth retreated to the ropes, Magsayo uncorked an overhand right that sent the Thai head-first out of the ring. The referee immediately stopped the fight without a count.

http://ringtv.craveonline.com/news/380429-jason-pagara-arthur-villanueva-genesis-servania-win-in-philippines

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By Dong Secuya –

DUBAI, UAE – ALA mainstays Genesis ‘Azukal’ Servania, ‘King’ Arthur Villanueva and comebacking Rey ‘Boom-Boom’ Bautista came face to face with their Latino opponents Thursday afternoon during the press conference and official weighin of ‘Pinoy Pride XXVII’ held at Rocky’s Cafe at the Regent Hotel Palace here, the first international roadshow of the highly successful Pinoy Pride Series, a partnership of ALA Promotions and the Philippines’ largest TV network, ABS-CBN. The fights will be held tomorrow evening, Friday, at the Dubai World Trade Center.

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Servania (L) and Cabrera pose during the weighin.

Servania (24-0-0, 10KO) from Bacolod City, who will defend his WBO Inter-Continental super bantamweight title against Jose ‘Matador’ Cabrera (22-4-2, 10KO) of Mexico, promised to have an impressive win Friday night as he look forward to fight for a world title possibly next year. “We trained hard for this fight for three months and we are very positive for this fight,” Servania said. However, his opponent, Cabrera, had another plan and looked forward to have his hands raised after the battle. “I have all the experience I need to be able to beat Servania,” declared the articulate Cabrera who fought the likes of Omar Narvaez and Tomas Rojas. 

Servania weighed in at 121.4 lbs while Cabrera tipped the scales at 122 lbs, the superbantam weight limit. 

Appearing as a co-feature is Villanueva (25-0-0, 14KO), also from Bacolod City, who will face Henry ‘El Crespo’ Maldonado (19-3-0, 14KO) of Nicaragua for the IBF International junior bantamweight title. Villanueva who is highly rated by all four major boxing organizations, is quietly confident in facing Maldonado who had a difficult time getting the weight limit. Villanueva weighed in at 114.6 lbs while Maldonado came in at 115.8 lbs on his first try but made the weight limit of 115 lbs after perspiring himself with the over 100 degrees farenheit Dubai heat outside of the hotel. 

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Villanueva and Maldonado.

The ever-popular ‘Boom-Boom’ Bautista (35-3-0, 25KO), meanwhile continues his comeback bid against dangerous Mexican banger Juan Jose ‘Piquet’ Martinez (19-1-0, 15KO) for a 10-round super featherweight non title bout. 

Martinez, who endured an 18-hour flight to reach Dubai, said he had great sparring coming in and expect to come out the winner on Friday. “I will go up in the ring with nothing else in mind but to come out the victor… and the winner of this fight is the public because they will see some awesome boxing,” Cabrera said. 

Bautista, for his part, said that he had reviewed Martinez’s fights and that Martinez fights like a bull. “I respect Mexican fighters,” Bautista said. “But come Friday night, the respect will no longer be there,” he added. 

Bautista came in at 129.4 lbs. While Martinez stepped the scales at 131.6 lbs.

 

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Bautista and Martinez

 

ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer as well as ABS-CBN executives Peter Musngi, March Ventosa, Dino Laurena and Maribel Hernaez were proud but at the same time anxious to stage their first international show in Dubai. “This is something big for all of us,” Aldeguer said. This takes years of planning and finally it’s here. We’re looking for bigger shows next year,” Aldeguer said who mentioned putting up shows, aside from Dubai, also in Abu Dhabi, Qatar and of course in California where ALA Promotions had already been licensed. 

“The experience is like delivering a child,” Musngi, ABS-CBN’s Vice-President, Intergrated Sports Division, said, when asked how he feels about he feels about their first big international project. “You get excited but anxious.” 

On the eve of ‘Pinoy Pride XXVII’ however, all indications point to the successful staging of the event as tickets have almost sold out. 

Spicing out the night on the undercard are local based boxers headed by Larry Abarra, a Filipino who fights out of the Round 10 Boxing Club of Dubai, will face Chatpayak Nuengkawkawhok of Thailand in a four round superbantamweight bout. Abarra came in at 121.8 lbs while Nuengkawkawhok weighed in at 120.6 lbs. 

Kizito Deo of Uganda will be pitted against Anusher Abdullaev of Uzbekistan in a four round welterweight clash. Kizito weighed in at 142 lbs while Abdullaev stepped the scales at 147 lbs. 

Junior welterweights Mohammad Akram of Syria and Thailand’s Kong Windy Sports will fight in another four rounder. Akram is also based in Dubai’s Round 10 Boxing Club. Akram weighed in at 140.6 lbs Kong Windy came in at 140.6 lbs.

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L-R: TFC Regional Marketing Head for Middle East and Europe Maribel Hernaez, ABS-CBN Vice President for Sports Peter Musngi, ALA Promotions President Michael Aldeguer, ABS-CBN Head of Management March Ventosa and ABS-CBN Head of Intergrated Sports Dino Laurena.

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WBO Vice President Leon Panoncillo (R, above photo) will supervise the main event fight between Servania and Cabrera for the WBO Inter-Continental super bantamweight title while IBF’s Onesmo Ngowi will supervise the fight between Arthur Villanueva and Henry Maldonado for IBF International junior bantamweight title. 

The first fight will start at 7:00 p.m. Friday night at the Dubai World Trade Center and will be broadcast live in the Philippines by pay per view and will replayed by ABS-CBN Saturday night.

http://philboxing.com/news/story-98578.html

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MANDAUE CITY, CEBU – Blue chip prospects Genesis “Azukal” Servania (R) and “King” Arthur Villanueva (L) will be featured in the 24th edition of the popular “PINOY PRIDE” boxing series at the Solaire Resort and Casino.

Servania (23W-0L, 9 KO’s) will stake his WBO Intercontinental super bantamweight title against Alexander “El Explosivo” Muñoz (36-5, 28 KO’s) of Venezuela.

The official launching of the card billed as “The Future is Now” was held Wednesday noon at the Copenhagen Hotel and Residences. During the event, ALA Promotions Pres and CEO Michael Aldegeuer stated that this fight will determine if Servania is ready to fight for a world title. He said that Servania is in search of a career defining fight and Muñoz, a former WBA super flyweight champ, will certainly provide a tough test.

Muñoz has lost to quality fighters like Cristian Mijares, Koki Kameda and Leo Santa Cruz. This will be Servania’s second stint as a Pinoy Pride headliner and his first as a main event event boxer in Metro Manila. Last October in Cebu City, Servania, who was recently picked as the best boxer by the WBO, knocked out Panamanian Rafael Concepcion in two rounds.Servania recently arrived from his training stint in the U.S and Mexico

This is the second PINOY PRIDE event set at the Solaire. Last July 13, 2013, the venue was the site of Merlito Sabillo’s successful defense of his WBO 105 lb division title against Jorle Estrada of Colombia.

Villanueva (24-0, 14 KO’s), the reigning WBO International super flyweight titlist, will be the co-main feature against Mexico’s Juan “Churritos” Hernandez. Villanueva had a stellar year, beating another erstwhile undefeated Filipino prospect, Marco Demecillo by unanimous decision and stopping Mexican boxers Arturo Badillo and Edgar Martinez.

Hernandez owns a disqualification win against Filipino minimumweight contender Denver Cuello and a split decision win over Moises Fuentes. This is the same Fuentes who fought Donnie Nietes to a draw here in Cebu last year. In 2011, Hernandez lost to Kazuto Ioka of Japan in his attempt to win the WBC minimumweight title. He also lost to Ramon Garcia Hirales by 8th round KO last year.

pp24.pc.140211.600wL-R: Trainer Editor Villamor, Arthur Villanueva, ALA President Michael Aldeguer and Genesis Servania during Wednesday’s presscon at the Copenhagen Hotel & Residences in Mandadue City. Photo by Dong Secuya.

The undercards will also showcase another unbeaten ALA boxer, “Prince” Albert Pagara, who will fight Isack Junior of Indonesia.

Rounding up the undercards are Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo vs Royroy Sumugat (6 rounds), Melvin Gumban vs Dino Lelis (8 rounds), Vic Saludar vs Philip Luis Cuerdo (6 rounds) and Reyme Castillano Aleye of Cuba vs Justo Bornilla.

Aleye had an impressive showing against Rodel Wenceslao last month during the Sinulog Festival here in Cebu.

FUTURE CARDS

ALA Promotions CEO Michael Aldeguer also announced their plans for this year’s PINOY PRIDE events. They will have an event in Davao City this April 5 with Jason Pagara as the headliner. The venue of the rematch between Nietes and Fuentes is still under negotiation but if it will be held here, they plan to stage the event at the Mall of Asia Arena on May 3. There is a June 20 event penned for Dubai and a July card in San Diego.The California State Athletic Commission has approved ALA Promotions’ plan to stage a boxing show there this year.

Does this mean there will be fewer big boxing events for Cebu?

Aldeguer acknowledged PINOY PRIDE’s origins and growth in Cebu and thanked the Cebu media for their continuing support. He also stated that since Cebu boxing fans have been watching so many big events throughout the years, they have learned to expect higher quality match-ups. Cebu, however, is in need of a bigger boxing venue, bigger than the Waterfront Hotel. There is a huge arena under construction at the South Reclamation area and this could very well host the next world title bouts here in the country’s fight capital.

http://philboxing.com/news/story-91981.html

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By:  Dale G. Rosal / Photos taken from ALA Boxing Facebook /

ALA BOXING Gym stalwarts Merlito “Tiger” Sabillo and Donnie “Ahas” Nietes on Wednesday led a group of ALA Boxing Gym boxers in helping relief efforts for the typhoon victims in the Visayas.

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The WBO minimumweight champion Sabillo and WBO light flyweight champion Nietes are set to face different opponents this Nov. 30 in the Pinoy Pride XXIII: Filipinos Kontra Latinos at the Araneta Coliseum. Both are supposed to be busy training for the fight but they took time helping volunteers at the ABS-CBN complex in Jagobiao, Mandaue City repack and load the goods to be transported to the typhoon affected areas in Northern Cebu and in Eastern Visayas.

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Sabillo even called on other aspiring boxers to help, saying what they were doing was actually a good training for the sport.

Sabillo will fight Nicaraguan Carlos Buitrago while Nietes will be defending his title against Sammy ‘Guty’ Gutierrez.

Joining the two champions were trainer Edito Villamor, WBO Asia Pacific and Intercontinental super bantamweight champion Genesis “Azukal” Servania and WBO International and Asia Pacific superflyweight champion “King” Arthur Villanueva. They were also joined by world title contender Milan “El Metodico” Melindo, who will also be fighting in the undercard of Pinoy Pride XXIII.

IDOL Boxing Series’ “Prince” Albert Pagara, Mark Bernaldez and Mark Gessel Magsayo also helped along with his brother Jason “El Nino” Pagara, Rey Bautista, Rocky Fuentes, Jimrex Jaca, Juren Labordo and Roli Gasca.

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According to Villamor, ALA Boxing Gym founder Antonio L. Aldeguer donated relief goods for the typhoon victims. /CORRESPONDENT DALE G. ROSAL

Thursday, October 24, 2013

 

EDGAR Martinez may be a last-minute replacement opponent for unbeaten Arthur Villanueva. But despite taking the fight on short notice, he is confident that he will shock the world by scoring a big upset over the world-rated Filipino prospect.

“Villanueva, see my fist, this will be the last thing that you will see. Mexicans are the best fighters in the world,” Martinez said yesterday in a press conference at the Formo Restaurant and Lounge.

Villanueva and Martinez are fighting for the vacant World Boxing Organization International super flyweight belt at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino this Saturday night.

“When I fight, I fight intelligently. I will try to knock him out. He’s a strong guy but I don’t care if I win by knockout or decision. I just want to win,” said Martinez, who has won his last five fights by knockout.

Martinez has fought two renowned boxers in Mexico, former interim world champion Sammy Gutierrez and Ivan Morales, the legendary Erik Morales’ younger brother. He didn’t last long with both and was knocked out in the first by Ivan and in the third by Gutierrez.

A win over Villanueva should catapult Martinez’s career to new heights because the 24-year-old Bacolod City native is ranked in all four major boxing sanctioning bodies – No. 2 in the WBO, No. 5 in the International Boxing Federation, No. 10 in the World Boxing Association (WBA) and No. 13 in the World Boxing Council.

Martinez is 16-7 with 10 knockouts, while Villanueva is 23-0 with 13 knockouts.

Unbeaten Genesis Servania faces off with former interim WBA super flyweight titleholder Rafael “El Torito” Concepcion for the vacant WBO super bantamweight strap in the main event of Pinoy Pride XXII – “The Revenge.”

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/sports/2013/10/24/i-will-shock-world-310225