SERVANIA AVENGES BANAL'S DEFEAT, SCORES SPECTACULAR 2ND ROUND KO OF CONCEPCION
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 27 Oct 2013
Cebu City: October 26 -- Undefeated Genesis "Azukal" Servania avenged the loss of stablemate AJ "Bazooka" Banal with a spectacular 2nd round knockout of cocky Panamanian Rafael "El Torito" Concepcion before a large and exuberant crowd at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino tonight.
Concepcion had vowed to crush Servania just like he did Banal in the 10th round of a WBA Interim super flyweight title fight some five years ago before a stunned Cebu Coliseum crowd and had brought along a blue pillow claiming he was going to put Servania to sleep.
But Concepcion who had tangled with such notable opponents as Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire to whom he lost the WBA title, Mexico's Fernando "Cochulito" Montiel and Jorge "Travieso" Arce had no answer to Servania who kept his promise to make Concepcion eat his words.
Concepcion tried to set the tone early in the fight with his vaunted overhand right but Servania wasn't awed and hurt the former world champion with a cracking left hook followed by an overhand right forcing Concepcion to hold.
Top photo: Ringside doctors try to revived Concepcion.
Servania connects on Concepcion.
Servania celebrates with fans.
Early in round two international referee Bruce McTavish warned Concepcion for holding before Servania caught Concepcion with a perfectly-timed, devastating uppercut as the Panamanian lunged forward sending him crashing to the canvas flat on his back where he lay motionless for several minutes as doctors rushed to the fallen fighter and put an oxygen mask to help him recover.
It took at least 7 to 10 minutes before Concepcion recovered and was rushed to hospital as a routine precautionary measure.
In a mocking gesture for the insults heaped on him by Concepcion, Servania said "he will need the pillow" he had offered him before the right.
It was by far the most impressive performance of Servania who moved well, three rapid-fire combinations, slipped punches and proved he had the power to take out a former world champion.
He was calm and collected unlike in his last fight against Japan's Konosuke Tomiyama when he was dropped twice early in the first round but fought back to drop the Japanese late in round one and again in round three to win by a 9th round technical decision in Macau last July 27.
The official time was 2:04 of the second round.
An ecstatic Servania whose parents were at ringside received a standing ovation from fight fans who crowded around the ring to congratulate the new WBO Intercontinental super bantamweight champion who improved his record to 23-0 with 9 knockouts while Concepcion fell to 18-7-1 with 8 knockouts.
Villanueva connects on Martinez.
Villanueva wins.
In the main supporting bout for the WBO Intercontinental super flyweight title "King Arthur" Villanueva continued his unbeaten streak with a sensational 1st round TKO of Mexico's Edgar "Chololo" Martinez.
Villanueva nailed Martinez with a left hook early in the opening round before dropping him for the second time in the round with a crushing right. Martinez was in no condition to continue and referee Tony Pesons waved it off at 1:29 of the very first round.
With the win which extended Villanueva's conquest of Mexicans which included a 4th round TKO over Arturo Badillo last July 13, the reigning WBO Asia Pacific and Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation super flyweight champion improved his record to 24-0 with 14 knockouts.
In a post fight interview with Atty. Ed Tolentino who did the fights with this reporter for the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN which telecast the fights on the highly acclaimed "Pinoy Pride" series over Channel 2, Villanueva whose parents were also at ringside said "I waited to catch him with a solid punch and was a little surprised when I did. I trained hard and the Lord blessed me as he gave me strength and power."
Villanueva's mother was overjoyed with her 24 year old son's smashing victory and said she was "not nervous" because Arthur's father was himself a fighter.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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