SERVANIA BUCKS NASTY CUT TO RETAIN WBO INTERCONTINENTAL TITLE WITH ROUSING 12TH ROUND TKO
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 02 Mar 2014
Genesis ?Azukal? Servania bucked a nasty cut opened up by a punch and aggravated by an accidental head-butt to retain his WBO Intercontinental super bantamweight title with a rousing 12th round TKO over former two-time world super flyweight champion Alexander "El Explosivo" Munoz of Venezuela before a cheering crowd at the classy Solaire Resort and Casino along Manila Bay on Saturday.
A slight cut opened up in the sixth round was ripped apart by an accidental head-butt by Munoz in the eighth which appeared to spur Servania to go after the Venezuelan who previously knocked out only once by the great world bantamweight champion Leo Santa Cruz and had an impressive KO record of 28 knockouts in 36 wins.
With the win, the 22 year old Servania kept his undefeated streak going and improved to 24-0 with 10 knockouts while the seemingly ageless Munoz who is a 35 year old veteran of many classic ring battles, dropped to 36-6 with 28 knockouts.
Servania, ranked No. 3 by the WBO who was named WBO ?Best Boxer of the Year? in 2013 following his spectacular 2nd round knockout of former WBA Interim super flyweight champion Rafael ?El Torito? Concepcion who won the crown with a 10th round knockout of AJ ?Bazooka? Banal, started impressively connecting with two good lefts followed by a solid right hand.
Keeping the pressure on Munoz, Servania nailed the Venezuelan with a three punch combination capped by a vicious right that dropped Munoz who barely beat the count and was saved by the bell.
Servania was cautioned for a low blow by referee Danrex Tapdasan in round three but immediately connected with a left to the body and a right to the head that almost dropped Munoz again with 15 seconds left in the fourth round.
After opening up a slight cut on the left eye in round six, Munoz began targeting the cut and fought his way back into the fight following a terrific exchange in the center of the ring in round seven with Munoz creating angles with excellent lateral movements and spinning Servania around.
An accidental head-butt by Munoz opened up a nasty gash just below Servania?s left eyebrow in round eight but the fight continued after Dr. Redentor Viernes of the GAB examined the cut and waved the fight on.
The blood streaming from the gash appeared to spur Servania who caught Munoz with a beautiful right followed by a left hook and let his hands go. When the ten second clapper sounded Munoz thought it was the end of the round and got caught with a right as he turned his back to go to his corner.
Servania hurt Munoz with a left to the body in round nine and dropped the challenger for the second time in the fight with a series of vicious blows to the body and hurt him again in round ten with an excellent combination as the Venezuelan began to weaken as Servania?s punches began to take their toll.
Servania in full flow cracked Munoz with an overhand right in round eleven and after stunning Munoz with a stinging right straight dropped the former two-time world champion with a hellacious right hand and as Munoz wobbled to his feet, referee Tapdasan wisely waved it off at 2:22 of the twelfth and final round.
In a post fight interview with Dyan Castillejo of ABS-CBN which telecast the fights over Channel 2 on Sunday morning with a replay at 8:30 pm. over ABS-CBN Sports and Action on the revamped Studio 23, Servania said he was bothered by cramps fairly early in the fight.
ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer told the Manila Standard that the cut was stitched in Manila and they would have it checked when they return to Cebu on Monday and since it was a deep cut that was worse than the one he suffered on the same spot in his last fight in Macau they would have Servania undergo plastic surgery so it doesn?t re-open easily again.
He said Servania would rest for some time and they will ?see when he can come back? even as he mentioned that Servania would need one or two more fights before going after a world title.
Aldeguer agreed that the promising prospect needs to work on his body shots and to learn to throw more combinations.
In the main supporting bout ?Prince? Albert Pagara put on a royal performance with a scintillating 1st round knockout of Indonesia?s tough Isack Junior after ripping the Indonesian with a right straight and a devastating left to the liver with referee Ver Abainza reaching the count of ten at 2:41 of the round with Isack Junior in obvious pain still lying on the canvas.
Mexico?s Fernando Aguilar (9-6,1 KO), a last minute replacement for Juan Hernandez who was injured in a motorcycle accident gave world-rated super flyweight ?King Arthur? Villanueva the surprise of his life, turning what was expected to be a walk in the park into a ferocious war typical of Mexican ring warriors before Villanueva escaped with a unanimous ten round decision, although a one-point deduction by referee Bruce McTavish for a low blow in round 9 possibly cost Aguilar a majority draw.
Despite a bad cut on his left cheek caused by a head-butt Aguilar refused to be bothered by the blood that turned his white trunks into red and white and his face a bloody mess as he charged after Villanueva who appeared befuddled and with his timing off hardly looked like a fighter ranked No. 3 by the WBO, No. 4 by the IBF,No. 9 by the WBA and No. 15 by the WBC.
There were in fact a number of fight fans who felt that the Mexican who provided an entertaining battle deserved a draw at least.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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