Servania, Banal, Sonsona Ready to Rumble Sunday at SM Skydome on ESPN5 (WEIGH-IN PHOTOS)
By Carlos Costa
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 13 May 2018
MANILA, Philippines -- Genesis Servania, AJ "Bazooka" Banal and Marvin "Marvelous" Sonsona are among the star fighters seeing action Sunday May 13 at SM City North EDSA Skydome, Quezon City, Metro Manila; and all of them faced-off with their respective opponents during the official GAB weigh-in ceremony Saturday at the studios of ESPN5 Philippines in Metro Manila.
World-ranked Featherweight Genesis Servania (30-1, 13 KO's) of Bacolod, Negros Oriental, will battle Jakarta warrior Jason Butar Butar, 29, an active soldier in the Indonesian National Armed Forces.
Servania is well-known among boxing fans for his 12-round war against unbeaten Mexican world champion Oscar Valdez in September of last year, an effort that captured the interest of legendary promoter Bob Arum, boss of major promotional outfit Top Rank.
Top photo: Genesis Servania (R) and Jason Butar-Butar pose during Saturday's weighin.
Genesis Servania flexes his muscles during Saturday's weighin.
AJ Banal (R) and Master Suro (L).
In another exciting clash, come-back-kid, former two-time world title challenger AJ "Bazooka" Banal (35-2-1, 23 KO's) is all-systems-go for his exchange of leather against tough veteran Master Suro of Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
AJ Banal -- a popular former ALA figher off Ermita, Cebu -- is committed to getting back into top fighting mode and this 8-rounder is tailor-made for that. Will AJ be able to shake of the rust? The rumble is in he lightweight division.
In addition, former WBO super flyweight world champion Marvin Sonsona (20-1-1, 15 KO's) of General Santos City will be back in the ring after a 3-year hiatus to square off dangerous Arief Blader of Kebumen, Indonesia.
Marvin Sonsona (L) and Arief Blader (R).
A charismatic fighter, Sonsona has fans and boxing reporters wondering if he can still be "Marvelous."
More fights complete the exciting 12-bout Survival Instinct card.
"Survival Instinct Matira Matibay" Sunday May 13 at SM Skydome in North EDSA, Quezon City, Metro Manila is a production of Filipino promoter Joven Jimenez of Joven Sports Promotions in cooperation with ESPN 5 Philippines.
The card will be broadcast live by ESPN 5 Philippines, the telecast beginning at 3 PM.
GAB Boxing Chief welcomes the Colombians to the Philippines. From L to R: Filipino Boxing Coach Jun Labandia, Colombia manager Andy Espinosa, PhilBoxing writer Carlos Costa, Ms Jackie L Cacho of the GAB Boxing Division, Colombian Coach Jorge Ortega, Colombia fighter Gabriel Mendoza, GAB Boxing Chief Dioscoro B. Bautista and IBF Referee Silvestre Abainza.
The author Carlos Costa of Panama is a boxing judge and fight reporter based in Cebu, Philippines. He will attend these fights at SM Skydome in Metro Manila. Carlos can be reached by email: Carlos512@hotmail.com or by WhatsApp +639184538152.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Carlos Costa.
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