SERVANIA FACES VALDEZ IN HIS FIRST WORLD TITLE FIGHT
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 21 Sep 2017
Undefeated Filipino fighter Genesis Servania (29-0, 12 KOs) will challenge unbeaten WBO featherweight champion Oscar Valdez (22-0, 19 KOs) of Tucson, Arizona Friday at the Tucson Convention Center in Tucson, Arizona, the main event of the latest edition of Top Rank on ESPN. This will be the first time for Servania fighting atop the ring challenging for a world title.
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"It's exciting. It's my fight to win because I have trained so hard for this opportunity. It will be my hardest fight but you will soon see I came to Tucson to win and become the new world champion," said the former ALA Gym standout now fighting out of the Kashimi Gym in Kanazawa, Japan as told to Fightnews.com.
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Servania will be making his U.S debut and he is fresh from a 2nd round TKO over Ralph Jhon Lulu last April. His most notable win is a 12th round TKO win over former world champion Alexander Mu?oz of Venezuela in March 2014. Servania?s trainer Mark Gil Melligen believes his fighter has a big chance to score an upset.
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?This is a good fight. Valdez fights well and has a lot of amateur experience, but Servania has a big chance,? says Melligen as quoted by Rappler. He thinks that Servania has matured as a fighter since transferring to Japan and has developed his punching power.
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Valdez, a two-time Mexican Olympic boxer in 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Games, was born in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico will make his homecoming as he takes on Servania. He grew up across the border in Tucson, and will fight for the second time in his career returning to same venue, the Convention Center where he fought the last time in December 2015 against Ernie Sanchez winning by 3rd round TKO. This time he returns to Tucson as the champion and ready to defend his title.
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He is now training in Southern California?s newest gym, the Legendz Boxing Gym in Norwalk, California. Valdez prepares for his coming fight with his trainer Manny Robles Jr., and has been sparring with rising fighters, 2016 Irish Olympian Michael Conlan and Michael Dutchover, as he practices for the Servania match.
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?He?s a strong fighter. I?ve seen him fight before. He has knockout power and has the Filipino style throwing punches from different angles and all over the place but it?s nothing new to me. I?ve faced different styles in the amateurs," said Valdez on Servania quoted by BoxingScene.
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?I am ready for this fight I am facing Genesis Servania, a tough Filipino fighter who is ranked fourth in the WBO. We are pretty excited for this and try to give it our best,? Valdez told Fightnews.com. ?You will see the same Oscar Valdez always giving it my best,? Valdez concluded.
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According to badlefthook.com: "Servania is an iffy challenger on paper, a good offensive fighter who lacks power and is at his best when he?s being aggressive and using that to control a fight. Of course, that could be a recipe for disaster against the aggressive, harder-punching Valdez."
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Servania will use all his skills and hone them to near perfection to win against Valdez who has the talent deserving of a champion. This will only be his second bout in the featherweight division, and a title fight at that. This is the first time he is going to face a fighter of Valdez's magnitude.
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Servania fought his professional debut on February 2009, at the age of 17, as he defeated Mike Espanosa via 2nd round KO at the PAGCOR Hotel and Casino, Goldenfield Commercial Complex, Bacolod City. On June 2012, Servania, won the vacant WBC international silver superbantamweight title via TKO, knockingdown the veteran Mexican Genaro "Pablonito" Garc?a at the 12th round.
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On August 2012, Servania annexed the vacant WBO Asia Pacific superbantamweight title against Jorge Pazos of Mexico via unanimous decision. On October 2013, during the Pinoy Pride 22, Servania gained the vacant WBO intercontinental superbantamweight title over Panama's Rafael Concepcion at the 2nd round KO.
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During the Pinoy Pride 27 held at Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates on September 2014, Servania stopped the Mexican Jose "Matador" Cabrera at the 10th round, and retained his WBO intercontinental super bantamweight title. On April 2017, Servania fought the featherweight for the first time, stops Ralph Jhon Lulu in two rounds to claim the vacant WBO Asia Pacific featherweight title in Japan.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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