JUAREZ: "PAGARA IS MY TICKET FOR REDEMPTION"
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 07 Jul 2016
SAN MATEO, CA ? Maintaining his belief that Filipino bantamweight contender 'Prince' Albert Pagara has not fought a fighter of his caliber, Cesar Juarez of Mexico said he sees Saturday's fight as an opportunity to redeem himself after suffering two successive losses.
Speaking through ABS-CBN's Dyan Castillejo who acted as a de facto interpreter during a luncheon with the media at Celia's Mexican Restaurant along Campus Drive here Wednesday (early Thursday morning in Manila), Suarez said, ?I have not trained as hard as this fight because I wanted to win this fight badly. I wanted myself to be back in the rankings.?
Suarez was ranked No. 1 by the WBO when he fought Nonito Donaire Jr of the Philippines, then ranked No. 2, on Dec. 11, 2015 in Puerto Rico for the vacant WBO super bantamweight title vacated by Guillermo Rigondeaux, a fight of the year candidate that saw Donaire, after sending Juarez to the canvas two times in the fourth round, in dire straits in the second half of the fight courtesy of Juarez's non-stop aggression before escaping with a unanimous decision victory to re-capture the title.
Recalling the Donaire fight, Juarez, who was accompanied by his father Margarito and trainer Ricardo Guzman in San Mateo, said that ?one more round, and Nonito would have been finished.?
Juarez, who has two kids, both boys, the youngest at 3 months, went on to fight compatriot Giovanni Delgado (16-4-0, 9KO) last March 6 in Mexico City against the wishes of his father where he lost by split decision, a fight he said he should not have taken because he had injured his ankle during training affecting his mobility but had to take it anyway, ?because my wife was going to deliver our second baby and I needed the money.?
Speaking of his Filipino opponent this Saturday, Albert Pagara (26-0-0, 18KO) who has taken his spot as the No. 1 ranked super bantamweight in the WBO, Juarez said he was not intimidated by Pagara's undefeated record.
?He has not fought an opponent in my caliber,? Juarez said who saw weaknesses in Pagara's arsenal. ?He losses his composure during fights and throws wild punches. We know know how to attack him,? Juarez said who also admitted that Pagara would be a difficult fight for him but is highly confident he will return to Mexico with the victory.
Reminded that he lost to Hugo Partida (by majority decision) whom Pagara sent to the canvas three times en route to a first round stoppage, Juarez said, ?I was robbed in that fight [against Partida]. I should have won that fight.? According to BoxRec, Partida was down in round 3 and was cut in the right eye in round 10 due to a punch.
Nevertheless, Juarez has shown high confidence, hunger and determination days before his ring date with Filipino title contender Albert Pagara this Saturday (Sunday morning in Manila) in the main event of ALA Promotions' second US event at the San Mateo Event Center dubbed as ?Pinoy Pride 37: Fists of the Future.?
Juarez and Pagara will meet personally for the first time during tomorrow's final press conference at the San Mateo Event Center Pavillon starting at 11 a.m.
Team Juarez in San Mateo, L-R: trainer Ricardo Guzman, Cesar Juarez and Cesar's father Margarito.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dong Secuya.
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