Prince Albert Pagara of Maasin City (right) and Laryea Gabriel Odoi from Ghana engage in a stare down after the weigh-in event at the Maasin City Terminal.
CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON
Albert Pagara confident, inspired to fight Ghanaian Laryea Gabriel Odoi in hometown
Maasin City — There’s no place like home.
This is what “Prince” Albert Pagara feels as he prepares to showcase his boxing skills in front of his hometown folks when he takes on Ghanaian Laryea Gabriel Odoi in the main event of Pinoy Pride 44: Laban Sa Leyte at the Maasin City gymnasium on Saturday night.
The 24-year-old Pagara, who spent part of his childhood in Maasin City, said he feels all the love and support of the people here after droves of fans flocked at the open Maasin City terminal on Friday for the official weigh-in event for the fight card.
This gave him added motivation to do his best to win the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Intercontinental junior featherweight title at stake in the fight.
“It’s been four years since I last fought here in Maasin City, and the people here never disappoint me,” said Pagara, who tipped the scales at 122 pounds. “They always show up and show their support for me. I’m not just glad, I am very motivated right now to win the title. There’s something special here in Maasin City that makes me pumped up when I fight here.”
Odoi, who weighed 120 pounds, should be worried about that. But he isn’t.
“I am not scared of him. I am going to be the champion here. I know how to fight him and I am ready for a war,” said the 28-year-old Odoi.
Pagara has a 29W-1L-0D record with 20 knockout wins. Odoi has a 20-3-2 slate with 14 knockouts.
Meanwhile, hard-hitting Jeo “Santino” Santisima (15-2-0, 13 KOs) locks horns with Thai Likit Chane (16-5-0, 10 KOs) for the vacant WBO Oriental super bantamweight strap.
This is Santisima’s first shot at a regional title.
Santisima tipped the scales a pound below the super bantamweight limit at 121 pounds, while Chane weighed in a pound lighter than his opponent at 120 pounds.
Pagara’s older brother, Jason (40-3-1, 25 KOs), was overweight in his scheduled 10 rounder undercard bout against Indonesian Wellem Reyk (19-17-4, 5KOs). The 29-year old Pagara weighed in at 159lbs, way over the 147lbs contracted weight while Reyk exactly weighed in at 147lbs. The fight will push through since there’s no title at stake.
In the undercard, two-time world title challenger Arthur Villanueva (31-3, 17 KOs) faces off with veteran Renren Tesorio (16-12-3, 4 KOs), former world title contender Melvin Jerusalem (12-2, 7 KOs) is up against Philip Luis Cuerdo (10-4-1, 4 KOs), Fil-Japanese Go Hosaka debuts in the pro ranks against Holly Quinones (3-9-1, 1 KO), Joyjoy Formentera (8-3, 4 KOs) slugs it out with Lobert Bayo (7-7), and Jeno Macapobre (3-0, 2 KOs) slugs it out with Carlito Antaran (1-3-1) in the show’s curtain raiser.