DUBAI, UAE?The Pagara that has always hogged the limelight is Jason Pagara.
While his younger brother Albert was still slowly moving up in ranks and making a name for himself by fighting in undercards, Jason has already established a name as one of the faces of ALA boxing.
Now that Albert has blossomed into one of the future stars of Philippine boxing, headlining his first boxing event tonight in Pinoy Pride 32 – ?Duel in Dubai 2? at the Dubai World Trade Center, Jason has only one thing in mind, to inspire his younger sibling.
Moments before Albert (23-0, 16 KOs) faces Mexican challenger Jesus Rios (31-7-1, 25 KOs), Jason (35-2, 22 KOs) is taking on another Mexican, Ramiro Alcaraz (15-4-1, 9 KOs), in a 10-round non-title bout.
The older Pagara guns for an impressive win not only for himself but also to boost his younger brother?s morale when it?ll be his turn on top of the ring.
?I?m so excited to fight alongside my brother and also because of the huge support of Filipinos here in Dubai. I want an impressive victory so that I will inspire my brother to do better when it will be his turn? said 25-year-old Jason. ?I believe I will knock him (Alcaraz) out because I have trained so hard for this.?
Albert, however, is brimming with self-confidence and believes that it?ll be a short night for the 31-year-old Rios.
?I?ll be last man standing. There will be a knockout,? said the 21-year-old Albert, rated No. 5 in the IBF and No. 8 in The Ring.
Albert tipped the scales at 121 pounds, while Rios was 3.8 pounds overweight at 125.8. Rios still couldn?t make the weight and weighed-in at 124 after trying to shed the extra pounds for an hour. That makes him ineligible to win the belt tonight.
Although a huge underdog, Rios is confident that his power will pull him through this fight.
?For sure there will be a knockout. It?s going to happen before the fifth,? Rios said confidently, while Albert just smiled as it was translated in English.
A striking victory should be crucial for Albert?s surging boxing career, because he?ll be featured in ALA Promotions and ABS-CBN?s first event in the US if he impresses his promoters.
?This is a very important fight for Albert. He?s rated Top 10 in The Ring, he?s up there and if he wins impressively, this will put him in our first event in California on Oct. 17,? said ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer.
Veteran Jimrex Jaca (39-8-4, 22 KOs) looks to end a losing drought when he takes on Mexican hard-hitter Pablo Lugo Montiel (21-5, 17 KOs) in one of the main featured bouts.
In the undercard, Dubai-based Filipino Larry Abarra (3-2-1) slugs it out with Indonesian Tony Arema (3-6-1), Ugandan Deo Kizito squares off with unbeaten Thai Fapetch Manopchaigym (1-0), local fighter Lasisi Bamidele trades leathers with Thai Singnoi Singmanasak (3-0-1, 1 KO) and Dubai?s Nicholas Mwangi makes his pro debut against Syrian Mohammad Akram (3-0-1, 1 KO).
