Pinoy Pride 44 Post-Fight Analysis: Santisima Devastating; Pagaras Back on Track
By Carlos Costa
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 13 Jun 2018
Santisima's power blow was in display. The perfectly executed left hook seen in the above photo was the crushing punch that precipitated the the demise of Thai boxer Likit Chane, 26, during the rough action of round three Saturday night in Pinoy Pride 44 in the friendly, Smoke-Free City of Maasin in Southern Leyte.
The solid impact rocked the Thai backwards all the way to the ropes where a cat-fast Santisima further bombarded the Thai with ruthless blows that forced experienced third man Tony Pesons to correctly stop the severity of the attack.
Prior to the stoppage, Santisima had already debilitated Chane with tough well-placed combinations to the body and head, and landed damaging long right hands that the Thai warrior could not evade.
The victory earned the 22 year-old ALA fighter the vacant WBO Oriental Super Bantamweight belt and catapults the young Pinoy into the list of the 15-best 122-pounders in the planet.
With his performance, Jeo "Santino" Santisima (16-2, 14 KO's) stands-out out as one of ALA new fighters with more probabilities to eventually claim a world-title in boxing. Time will tell.
ALBERT PAGARA DID THE JOB RAVAGING ODOI, SEEMS BACK ON THE TRACK
In the main event of Pinoy Pride 44, Maasin-native "Prince" Albert Pagara proved to be too skilled and fast for the slow, disorganized, ineffective Laryea Gabriel Odoi (20-4-2, 14 KO's), a boxer from Accra, Ghana, who at times during the encounter looked amateurish.
From the get-go the world-ranked ALA super bantam boxer stalked and pinned his foe with damaging hands that quickly deteriorated the African warrior who was rocked to the blue Cobra mat again and again, having no clue on how to change the harsh fate that was fast coming-in for him.
The battered Odoi, 28, could not change his fate as he was punched down to the canvas in the second stanza and again in the following chapter, and the assault continued.
Thankfully, his cornerman threw-in the white towel during the rough third chapter, sparing this Ghana fighter of unnecessary punishment. The referee was Atty Danrex Tapdasan.
The victory makes "Prince" Albert Pagara, 24, the new WBO Inter-Continental Super Bantamweight king and absolutely improves his work-ranking in the 122-lbs weight-class.
However, the question in the mind of fans is: "will 'Prince' Albert Pagara look as good as he did if pitted against an opponent of a higher fighting caliber?" Fans have to tune-in for Albert's next battle.
In fact, the easy win enables Albert Pagara (30-1, 21 KO's) to see action again later this summer, perhaps as a supporting attraction in the coming Nietes-Palicte world-title rumble August 18 in Cebu. Time will tell.
The WBO supervisor for the title fights was Leon Panoncillo Jr.
JASON PAGARA BACK INTO WINNING, RAVAGES INDONESIAN JOURNEYMAN
Brother Jason won too. Regardless of his 12-pound overweight, the once hugely promising Jason "El Ni?o" Pagara, 29, returned to the winning circle after imposing his will over Indonesian journeyman Wellem Reyk (19-19-4, 5 KO's), blasting him down to the blue floor, stopping him mercilessly in round 3 in one of the non-title supporting bouts of Pinoy Pride 44.
A former world-ranked fighter, Jason Pagara (41-3-1, 26 KO's) performed good as expected against a smaller, lighter, older, much-limited fighter. But that is OK, say his fans because the stoppage win injects much needed confidence in "El Ni?o" after his disappointing knockout lost last December in Japan.
Nevertheless, Jason Pagara's inability to make the 147-pound contracted weight (coming-in at 159 lbs) prompts questions in the minds of fans over Jason's commitment to the rigors and disciplines of training.
Many followers, though, still have faith in "El Ni?o" to keep in the right track to conquer the boxing world.
MORE RESULTS FROM PINOY PRIDE 44 IN MAASIN
In more results from the smoke-free seaside City of Maasin, bantamweight "King" Arthur Villanueva (32-3, 18 KO's) of Bacolod scored a TKO triumph when opponent Renren Tesorio (16-13-3, 4 KO's) of Palawan suddenly abandoned the battle during the rough incidences of round 7. Villanueva was leading comfortably in all three scorecards. The ref was Nic Banal of Banawa, Cebu City.
Also, 24 year-old Bukidnon-born Melvin "Gringo" Jerusalem (13-2, 8 KO's) overpowered Philip Luis Cuerdo (10-5-1, 4 KO's) of Manila via TKO in round 8. Cuerdo was knocked down due to punishment in that chapter. The rumble in the jr. flyweight division was handled by veteran third man Teddy Alivio.
In bantamweights, Cebu warrior Manuel "Joy Joy" Formentera (9-3, 5 KO's) defeated unheralded Lobert Bay (7-8, 0 KO's) of Mandaue via TKO in the third chapter. The brave Bayo was rocked down to the canvas two times during the bombardments of round three. The ref was again Teddy Alivio.
Filipino-Japanese lightweight Go Hosaka, wearing trunks of the national flags of Japan and the Philippines, debuted with success in pro-boxing obliterating down to the canvas the more experienced Holly Qui?ones (3-10-1, 1 KO) at the 2:42 minute mark in the opening round. The ref was Nic Banal.
In the first war of the exciting Pinoy Pride 44 festival of knockouts, unheralded Carlito Antaran surprised the more accomplished ALA boxer Jeno Macapobre (3-1, 2 KO's) of Toledo beating him down to the mat in round one and then again in the following volume for a clear-cut round 2 TKO win. GAB time was 24 seconds of the second round. Macapobre appeared too stiff in is boxing, while Antaran performed with more fluidity and effectiveness.
Present in ringside during the evening of knockouts in Maasin were Maasin Mayor Nacional V. Mercado, Vice Mayor Maloney L. Samaco and PhilBoxing.com creator Dong Secuya.
IMPECCABLE WORK FROM GAB OFFICIALS
Flawless work from GAB officials. Supervisors for the Games & Amusement Board (GAB) were Ma'am Arlene M. Olondriz and Rolando "Lando" Mendoza. Inspector for the GAB was Glenn Sonido Agena. Ring announcer John Magat of Y101 FM and "The Sandman" Sandi Geronimo Grumo.
Official GAB Timekeepers Cipriano "Machete" Gonzales and Rowel Mendoza.
Ringside doctors for the GAB were Dr. Jose Unabia and Dr. Rene Bonsubre Jr.
Pinoy Pride 44 at Maasin, Southern Leyte was a production of ALA Boxing of promoter Michael D. Aldeguer in colaboration with ABS CBN Sports + Action and Island Premium Paints.
The author Carlos Costa of Panama is a boxing writer based in Cebu, Philippines. He attended Pinoy Pride 44 in Maasin, Southern Leyte. Carlos can be reached by email: Carlos512@hotmail.com and Whatsapp: +639184538152.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Carlos Costa.
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