MASAM SPORTS 78: PRINCE ALBERT PAGARA IS BACK, STOPS ALLAN VILLANUEVA IN FOUR ROUNDS
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 06 Nov 2022
Prince Albert Pagara is back after two years of inactivity and defeated Allan Villanueva by TKO at the end of the fourth round at Talisay City Sports Complex, Talisay City last night. The 28-year-old Pagara showed that he still has the potential to become a champion once again.
He jumped to the junior welterweight division, same category as his elder brother Jason, and let Villanueva quit in his stool in between rounds in an eight-rounder co-main event of Prime Stags Sports Boxing.
Right from the opening bell, Pagara dominated the fight connecting almost at will to the head of the 26-year-old Villanueva. Though his speed may have dwindled a bit because of the move to three heavier divisions but he showed flashes of his old championship form.
Before the fight Pagara last saw action on December 18, 2020 beating Virgil Puton via a lopsided unanimous decision. Pagara's record improved to 34 wins, 24 by knockouts, and one defeat. While the slumping Villanueva dipped to 11-4 with eight knockouts and all his defeats were in the last four bouts.
Pagara entered the fight at an official weight of 138 lbs and dominated the bigger Villanueva who was 139½ lbs.
This could signal the revival of the career of the former World Boxing Organization (WBO) intercontinental super bantamweight champion. He has fought only twice in the last four years, and was erased from the top world rankings.
Villanueva also lost his bouts against Carlo Bacaro, Tomjune Mangubat, and Al Toyogon. He lost to Bacaro by unanimous decision, to Mangubat by a seventh round knockout and to Toyogon by knockout in the second round last August 7.
Pagara plans to move down in weight and fight at either super featherweight or lightweight after he regains his old fighting weight. "I may be fighting for a bigger fight and hopefully become a champion again,” Pagara said as quoted by SunStar Cebu.
Pagara now trains in the boxing gym named after him in Liloan, Cebu under new manager, Paul Best, a Scottish boxing patron based in Cebu who has the same interest in the fight business like Pagara.
Pagara’s only loss was dealt by Mexican Cesar Juarez in 2016 via an eighth round knockout in San Mateo, California. After the loss, he redeemed himself and won eight straight fights since 2017.
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