PAGARA BROTHERS, THE HOTTEST PINOY BOXING SIBLINGS (PART II)
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 23 Aug 2012
When Jason Pagara lost to Rosbel Montoya September of last year, I was able to watch the bout at the Waterfront Hotel Grand Ballroom. He was the only defeated ALA boxer that time among the fighters of the main events. Later the following day, I was able to meet his father Reynaldo on board Cokaliong ship M/V Filipinas Dapitan for Maasin City.
The senior Pagara said that Jason suffered a fever prior to the fight with Montoya that is why he was not in good condition during the first tussle. He believed that Jason in fine physical form can easily defeat the Mexican ?Lobito? Montoya.
This was different from media reports that Jason had a family feud with his father prior to the first Montoya bout which caused his mediocrity during their initial scuffle. Reynaldo stated that Jason was confident he could outdo the Mexican?s ability but succumbed to exhaustion in the later rounds of the first fight. Jason immediately asked for a rematch which the ALA Promotions granted last Saturday.
Jason dropped Montoya three times, one in the opening round and twice in the third round. Referee Danrex Tapdasan stopped the fight at 1:41 of the sixth canto when Montoya received enough blows from El Ni?o Pagara causing the Mexican to scowl in pain. Jason won the vacant WBO international junior welterweight championship. He will have a chance to train in the United States under Robert Garcia, the trainer of WBO/IBF superbantamweight champion Nonito Donaire.
After his loss, Montoya was all praises for Pagara. "My right arm was injured in the sixth round by a powerful punch to my right forearm near my elbow made me unable to continue the fight,? declared the Mexican. ?Pagara was a much improved fighter from the first encounter that we had. He was faster, more powerful and was the better boxer.?
Jason was awarded by the City Government of Maasin during its 11th Charter Day Celebration on August 10 last year with an Outstanding Maasinhon Award for Sports having won the WBO Asia Pacific Youth lightwelterweight title in April 2011 when he floored Tanzanian Deo Njiku thrice and scored a second round knock out. He also scored a fourth round knockout of Mexican Juan Carlos Gallegos before the first fight with Montoya.
Jason qualified for the award, his mother the former Sabrina Sotto Gerogalem being a Maasinhon from barangay Lib-og of Maasin City. He is the nephew of the incumbent Barangay Chairman of their village Hon. Walter Sepe. He learned the basics of boxing from his father in Maasin when they lived there for several years before transferring to Misamis Oriental.
Unfortunately, after receiving the award, Jason lost the title on September when he was outclassed by Montoya, who was not awarded of the crown because he was one pound over the weight limit. He recovered by beating Frans Yarangga of Indonesia by second round TKO. Jason knocked him once in the first round and thrice in the second.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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