PAGARA BROTHERS TO HEADLINE JUNE 9 FIGHT IN THEIR HOMETOWN
Brothers Albert and Jason Pagara headline Pinoy Pride 44 in their hometown of Maasin City
The Pagara brothers, both boxers, have a lot at stake in their fight on June 9. Albert, 24, has won his last three fights, the latest one last November in Tagbilaran against Mohammed Kambuluta. He wants this streak to stretch when he faces Laryea Gabriel Odoi of Ghana. Pagara’s brother Jason wants to bounce back after suffering a technical knockout by Hiroki Okada and struggling with his weight. The brothers will headline Pinoy Pride 44 in Maasin City, their hometown.
The Pagara brothers will return to their roots and headline Pinoy Pride 44 on June 9 in the Maasin City Gym.
Albert Pagara will gun for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) Inter-Continental super bantamweight belt against Ghanaian Laryea Gabriel Odoi in the main event, while Jason Pagara will trade leathers with Indonesian Geisler AP in a 10-rounder in one of the main features.
Albert, the younger Pagara brother, is slowly making his way back up the super bantamweight ladder after suffering his first career defeat in 2016. He suffered an eighth-round knockout in the hands of Mexican banger Cesar Juarez in San Mateo, California. “I learned a lot from that fight. I’ll do my best to win this. I want to show my best because this fight will be in my hometown,” said the 24-year-old Albert.
Since that loss, Albert has won his last three fights. His last fight was a second round knockout of Mohammed Kambuluta in Tagbilaran City last November.
The 27-year-old Odoi has won his last four contests, with his latest a seventh round stoppage of Billy Quaye.
Albert, currently rated No. 7 in the International Boxing Federation (IBF), is 29-1 with 20 knockouts, while Odoi is 20-3-2 with 14 knockouts.
Jason, on the other hand, is looking to bounce back after suffering a sixth round technical knockout by Hiroki Okada in his last fight.
Jason has had some weight problems in his past few fights and has fallen out of the world rankings after his long inactivity and his latest defeat.
Jason is 40-3-1 with 25 knockouts, while AP is 12-10-1 with nine knockouts. The Pagara brothers were both born in Maasin City. They learned boxing there and even fought in that same old gym as amateurs. Albert and Jason, however, moved to Cagayan de Oro, the hometown of their father.
Meanwhile, promising super bantamweight prospect Jeo Santisima will co-headline the event in his first shot at a regional belt.
Santisima will take on Thai Likit Chane for the vacant WBO Oriental super bantamweight strap.
“Sparring in Japan has given me a lot of experience. I’m very much prepare for this fight,” said Santisima, who was former world champion Shun Kubo’s sparring partner in Japan for his April 28 fight with Hiroshige Osawa.
Santisima also saw action in the Pinoy Pride in Bohol and demolished Kichang Kim in just a single round. He has won his last 13 fights, wherein only one fight went the distance.
Chane is coming off a unanimous decision defeat to worldranked Pinoy Juan Miguel Elorde, grandson of the late great Gabriel “Flash” Elorde, last February.
Santisima is 15-2 with 13 knockouts, while Chane is 16-5 with 10 knockouts. /
We want to bring the old Albert back EDMUND VILLAMOR