‘I will shock the world’

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

By Ronnie Nathanielsz –

Undefeated 22 year old Genesis Servania, regarded as one of the more promising prospects from the famed ALA Gym faces a tough challenge from Rafael “El Torito” Concepcionr who scored a 10th round knockout over AJ “Bazooka in a WBA super flyweight interim title fight at the Cebu C oliseum on July 26, 2008.

The WBO Asia Pacific super bantamweight title defense of Servania will take place at the at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino on October 26 and will be telecast by the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN on its top-rating “Pinoy Pride” series over Channel 2 and will also be carried globally on The Filipino Channel which is widely watched especially in the Middle East.

ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer who  was with vice president Dennis Canete in a luncheon meeting with ABS-CBN’s Peter Musngi informed the Manila Standard that they had received the signed contract from Concepcion only on Wednesday. Concepcion had also faced Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire and dropped a twelve round unanimous decision on August 15, 2009.

In case the Concepcion fight didn’t push through ALA Promotions was considering featherweight Ruben “Canelito” Tamayo as a replacement just in case Concepcion failed to send them the signed contract.

Tamayo is coming of a majority draw against undefeated Filipino Jun Doliguez last July 20 in Mexico and is an accomplished fighter with a record of 22-4-4- with 16 knockouts and gave the fancied Doliguez a hard fight.

The 22 year old Servania is coming off an exciting war with Japan’s Konosuke Tomiyama on the undercard of the WBO flyweight title fight which Milan Melindo lost after a gallant stand against Mexico’s Juan Francisco Estrada who had earlier won the title from WBO/WBA champion Brian Viloria.

In an action-packed battle Servania was dropped twice in the opening round but came back to drop Tomiyana late in the opening round and once again in the third before winning a 9th round technical decision after being cut on the eyelid because of an accidental head-butt and was ruled unfit to continue.

http://www.boxingscene.com/genesis-servania-tough-with-rafael-concepcion-10-26–69945