PINOY PRIDE XXVI: ?THERE WILL BE A KNOCKOUT?
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 19 Jun 2014
CEBU CITY ? The cast of ?FISTS OF THE FUTURE? had their final press conference today where they had a concluding round of statements and predictions.
?I have studied his style and there will be a knockout,? Jason ?El Ni?o? Pagara, the defending WBO International light welterweight titlist stated.
?Yes, there will be a knockout but it will be in our favor,? his Mexican opponent, Mario ?Rocky? Meraz countered, ?My advantage is my hunger to triumph.?.
?I prepared well for this fight, I have seen his fighting style, there will be knockout,? was also the prediction of ?Prince? Albert Pagara, Jason?s younger brother, who will contest the vacant IBF Intercontinental junior featherweight title against another Mexican, Hugo ?Olympico? Partida.
Albert Pagara (left) poses with Hugo Partida
?There will be a knockout,? Partida stated, ?I am a quality fighter and I am determined to win.?
Meraz also said that he knows that Manny Pacquiao is the idol here in the Philippines but in Mexico,Juan Manuel Marquez is their idol. He also talked about his three month training where he had former champ Humberto Sotto as one of his sparmates.
On the undercard, Jimrex ?Executioner? Jaca will fight Masayoshi Kotake of Japan in a non-title contest. Jaca is eager for payback after losing his last bout in Japan.
?I have prepared for two months, I only rested for a week after the loss in Japan, I want a rematch and I will go for revenge against Kotake first,? Jaca said.
Photo below - Masayoshi Kotake (right) of Japan
Kotake however said that he is going to win this Saturday.
In another non-title match, former world title challenger AJ ?Bazooka? Banal will face Indonesia?s Defry ?The Hammer? Palulu.
ALA trainer Edmund Villamor was once again confronted with questions regarding Banal?s endurance. Villamor assured that Banal has trained to go the full route. Palulu on the other hand said he has also prepared well for this bout.
Photo- the main cast of Pinoy Pride 26, TOPMOST PHOTO - Jason Pagara poses with Mario Meraz (right)
ALA Promotions Pres and CEO Michael Aldeguer also talked about their future plans to stage a fight in California sometime November.
PUBLIC WORKOUT
The foreign fighters - Mario Meraz, Hugo Partida and Defry Palulu - had a public workout in SM Cebu Wednesday evening to promote the June 21 fight card.
The official weigh-in for PINOY PRIDE 26 will be held at Robinson?s Mall Fuente Osmena Friday11AM and fight day on Saturday will be at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel.
Indonesian Defry 'The Hammer' Palulu shadow boxing in SM Cebu Events Centre
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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