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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 Rich Mazon –

Reigning WBO minimumweight (105 lbs.) champion Merlito Sabillo (23-0-1, 12 KOs) of the Philippines will be defending his world title belt in enemy territory this Saturday evening in Mexico (Sunday morning in the Philippines).

Sabillo, of Negros Occidental, is scheduled to protect his diadem in Monterey, Mexico, hometown of his challenger Francisco Rodriguez Jr. in his third defense of his title.

Team Sabillo, who arrived in Monterey, Mexico from San Diego, California last Tuesday, expressed that despite the apprehension of fighting in his challenger’s hometown, he is confident that his recent training and preparation for this fight will prevail above the ring.

“Siyempre kahit sino naman po ay maalangan kasi nasa teritoryo tayo ng kalaban, pero wala tayong magagawa kasi promotion nila eh. Ang sa akin ay Diyos na lang ang nakakaalam at gagawin ko ang best ko,“ Sabillo told this writer in an interview before leaving for Mexico.

(Of course, anyone will be uncomfortable because we are in enemy territory but we can’t do anything because it is their promotions. For me, only God knows what will happen and that I will do my best.)

But his coach, Edito Villamor, head trainer of the ALA stable, has confidence that Sabillo will fare well against Rodriguez Jr. despite the favorable venue and the hometown crowd for their Mexican counterpart.

“Hindi naman kami alangan (sa paglaban sa Mexico). Sanay naman si Merlito. Noong kinuha niya yung belt ng world title, doon yun sa Colombia. Dito (US) kami nag training camp at magaling naman ang training namin dito kaya wala namang problema sa kanya,” Villamor said.

(We are not uncomfortable (of fighting in Mexico). Merlito is accustomed to fighting elsewhere. When he won the belt for the world title, it was in Colombia. We spent our training camp here (US) and our training is great here and I think there won’t be any problems for him.)

Sabillo and some of his fellow ALA stable mates trained in the States for most part of this camp, under the tutelage of trainers, Edito Villamor and Michael Domingo. They spent time in various boxing gyms in California, sparring against fighters from those gyms. Both boxer and trainer are upbeat that their time spent in training in the US will help them against Rodriguez Jr. who is ranked number 9 by the WBO.

“Malaking tulong, nakapag-training kami ng conditioning training dito under Nick Curson. Maganda naman pinagawa niya, yung mga plyometrics, lahat. Iba talaga, iba ang training dito.” said Villamor.

(It’s a big help, we underwent condition training under Nick Curson. He made them do plyometrics and other stuff. Training here is really different.)

Sabillo admitted that he noticed an improvement on his conditioning after undergoing the various strength and conditioning exercises and that also he expects no difficulty in meeting the 105 pound limit for the fight.

The 30 year-old champion is only three pounds above the weight limit last Sunday, a full week ahead of his fight.

Sabillo, who is not fond of trash-talking, made no guarantees but promised to give his best when he puts his title in the line against Rodriguez Jr.

“Hindi lang ako magsabi ng kung ano sir, basta gagawin ko lahat ng best ko para maipanalo at madepensahan ang aking title belt.”

(I don’t want to say anything sir, except that I will give my very best to win and to defend this title.)

http://philboxing.com/news/story-93083.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

Milan_Melindo-1   SERVANIA

Estrada now in Macau, vows to bring titles back to Mexico

By:  Dale G. Rosal –

Undefeated WBO Intercontinental Flyweight champion Milan “El Metodico” Melindo will depart for Macau, China today along with fellow ALA Gym stalwart and WBO Asia Pacific Bantamweight champion Genesis “Azukal” Servania for their upcoming mega bouts on July 27 at the Cotai Arena of the Venetian Casino and Resort in Macau.

According to ALA Boxing Promotions Vice President Dennis Cañete, Melindo and Servania will be accompanied by their trainer Edito Villamor, assistant trainer Robert Labanza, the team’s nutritionist Abet Biagan and assistant trainer Michael Domingo. ALA Boxing Promotions CEO and President Michael Aldeguer and Cañete will follow them to Macau this Tuesday.

Melindo (29-0, 12KOs) will battle Mexican World Boxing Organization (WBO) and World Boxing Association (WBA) flyweight titleholder Juan Francisco Estrada in the main event of Bob Arum’s Top Rank Promotions card while Servania (21-0, 8 KOs) will go up against Konosuke Tomiyama (23-5-1, 8 KOs) of Japan in a 10-round bout.

Melindo and Servania just wrapped up their rigid training this week under the supervision of Villamor with both boxers saying they have acquired new skills which would greatly help them beat their opponents.

“I believe they are one hundred percent prepared mentally and physically,” Villamor said. “I think we will have light training for the rest of the week before the official weigh-in,” he added.

Estrada won the two world titles in a unification bout against Filipino Brian “Hawaiian Punch” Viloria last April also in Macau where Melindo fought in the undercard beating Indonesian Tommy Seran via fourth round TKO.

Both boxers admitted that they are excited about their respective bouts.

Melindo is excited to fight and beat Estrada to bring the two titles back to the Philippines while Servania is excited as this is his first ever international fight.

Servania defended his regional title against Indonesians Angky Angkotta and Isaac Junior earlier this year.

ESTRADA LEAVES FOR MACAU

Meanwhile, Estrada is already en route to Macau for the first defense of his world titles.

According to a report posted on philboxing.com by Carlos Costa, Estrada (24-2, 18 KOs) appeared in high spirits as he walked towards his flight’s gate at Mexico’s Benito Juárez International Airport.

The 23-year-old world champion from Sonora, Mexico, is accompanied by his experienced team, which plans to fine-tune Estrada’s preparations in Macau.

“I am so motivated to make my first defense. I have done a good training and it will show in the ring. We will bring our two belts back to Mexico. I share my titles with my team and with the people of Mexico who support me,” said Estrada.

Should the Mexican beat Melindo, his promoters plan a blockbuster all-Mexican affair between “El Gallo” Estrada and popular former world champion Hernán “Tyson” Márquez.

Estrada, promoted by Zanfer Boxing and Top Rank, will be seen in action on July 27 on HBO in the United States and TV Azteca 7 in México. /with carlos costa of philboxing.com

According to ALA Boxing Promotions Vice President Dennis Cañete, Melindo and Servania will be accompanied by their trainer Edito Villamor, assistant trainer Robert Labanza, the team’s nutritionist Abet Biagan and assistant trainer Michael Domingo. ALA Boxing Promotions CEO and President Michael Aldeguer and Cañete will follow them to Macau this Tuesday.

Melindo (29-0, 12KOs) will battle Mexican World Boxing Organization (WBO) and World Boxing Association (WBA) flyweight titleholder Juan Francisco Estrada in the main event of Bob Arum’s Top Rank Promotions card while Servania (21-0, 8 KOs) will go up against Konosuke Tomiyama (23-5-1, 8 KOs) of Japan in a 10-round bout.

Melindo and Servania just wrapped up their rigid training this week under the supervision of Villamor with both boxers saying they have acquired new skills which would greatly help them beat their opponents.

“I believe they are one hundred percent prepared mentally and physically,” Villamor said. “I think we will have light training for the rest of the week before the official weigh-in,” he added.

Estrada won the two world titles in a unification bout against Filipino Brian “Hawaiian Punch” Viloria last April also in Macau where Melindo fought in the undercard beating Indonesian Tommy Seran via fourth round TKO.

Both boxers admitted that they are excited about their respective bouts.

Melindo is excited to fight and beat Estrada to bring the two titles back to the Philippines while Servania is excited as this is his first ever international fight.

Servania defended his regional title against Indonesians Angky Angkotta and Isaac Junior earlier this year.

Milanmelindo

Photo: googleimages/wow.cdo.com –

Monday, May 27, 2013

PREPARATION and strategy are always the keys to a victory in any fight.

ALA Gym head coach Edito Villamor has already devised a game plan, while Milan Melindo has been working extra hard in the gym ahead of his world title fight two months from now.

“His training is going great. We have been doing physical and endurance training for almost a month. We have started spar play in preparation for the start of sparring next week,” Villamor told Sun.Star Cebu yesterday.

Melindo is challenging Juan Francisco Estrada for his World Boxing Organization and World Boxing Association flyweight belts on July 27 at the Cotai Arena of the Venetian Casino and Resort in Macau.

Villamor and Melindo both believe that they have Estrada all figured out. They feel that Estrada’s weakness is his body, which was also his main arsenal when he beat Brian Viloria.

“He has improved his power but we are preparing to go the distance. We plan to outbox the whole 12-round fight but if there is an opportunity, we will go all out. We are also improving the toughness of Milan’s body,” said Villamor. “Our plan is to use blocking defense then counter punch to the body but it depends on the actual fight and what will be the opening. Or maybe we could fight from the distance so that Estrada won’t be able to use his body punches.”

The 23-year-old Estrada used some vicious blows to the body to weaken Viloria and walk away with a tight split decision to win the twin titles last month, also in Macau. Melindo was also victorious on that same night, when he stopped Indonesian Tommy Seran in four rounds.

The 24-year-old Melindo is unbeaten with an impressive 29-0 slate with 12 knockouts, while Estrada is 24-2 with 18 knockouts.

Unbeaten Genesis Servania (20-0, 8 KOs) is also slated in the same blockbuster Macau card against Japanese former world title challenger Konosuke Tomiyama (23-5-1, 8 KOs).

Servania, who will make his international debut, is off a dominant third round knockout over Indonesian prospect Isack Junior last Saturday night at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Cebu City.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/sports/2013/05/27/preparation-key-284472