JASON Pagara blamed family issues as one of the reasons he wasn?t at his best when he lost to Rosbel Montoya last year. With that issue already put aside and with Pagara expected to be at his best, Montoya believes that the young promising light welterweight will still lose in their rematch this Saturday night at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino.
?Well, now Pagara?s problem will be me inside the ring,? said the 27-year-old former World Boxing Council Fecombox light welterweight champion in a press conference yesterday at the Mooon Caf? at the IT Park.
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Montoya gave Pagara a boxing clinic in their first encounter last Sept. 10 and won via unanimous decision.
?I took advantage of Pagara?s style in that fight. I was fighting from a distance and went in at the right moment to strike hard,? remembered Montoya.
Pagara and Montoya are fighting for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) International light welterweight crown.
Despite Pagara?s reputation as a hard-hitter who has knocked out 17 of his opponents out of 28 fights, Montoya criticized his power as mediocre.
Rare feat
?Pagara?s power is just regular. I wasn?t hurt in that fight,? he said.
Montoya has trained for almost two months for this fight and came here to repeat his feat.
?I already knew that this was going to happen and I prepared for this fight for a long time,? he said. ?Let?s just wait for the fight. I know I will fight strong and if a knockout comes, it comes.?
Montoya is one of the two Mexican boxers that have won here in the Philippines? boxing hotbed ? Cebu City. The other Mexican was Fernando Montiel, who beat Z Gorres by split decision in 2007.
?I feel very happy to be one of the two Mexicans who have won here. I hope to continue the trend.?
Meanwhile, Genesis Servania trades leathers with Jorge Pazos for the vacant WBO Asia-Pacific super bantamweight belt, while veteran former world title contender Jimrex Jaca slugs it out with fellow hard-hitter Angel Martinez.
