The Mexican opponents of Pagara brothers, Mario “Rocky” Meraz (left) who will face Jason “El Nino” Pagara in the main event and Hugo “Olympico” Partida who will battle “Prince” Albert Pagara , pose before the media after their press conference at the Rajah Park Hotel yesterday. The Mexicans will battle their Pinoy rivals this Saturday in the Pinoy Pride 26. Fists of the Future at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino. (CDN PHOTO/ JUNJIE MENDOZA)
The two Mexican warriors to be featured in the “Pinoy Pride 26: Fists of the Future” card, yesterday vowed to give the famed Pagara brothers a bloody war when they tangle this Saturday night at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.
During yesterday’s press conference at the Rajah Park Hotel, Hugo “Olympico” Partida (21W-4L-2D, 16KOs) and Mario “Rocky” Meraz (20-3, 16KOs) of Mexico vowed to give the talented boxing brothers a hard time.
Meraz promised to go for a knockout against Jason Pagara (33-2, 20KOs) who will defend his WBO International Light Welterweight belt in the card’s main event. Meraz is from the Baja California boxing gym owned by his trainer and manager Antonio Lozada Castillo.
According to Castillo, his gym is the home of former WBC lightweight champion and current WBC International Silver light welterweight champion Humberto Sotto and former WBC Silver light flyweight champion Luis Ceja.
“I thank ALA Promotions for giving me this rare chance of fighting in the Philippines. I’ve prepared for this fight for three months.
Jason(Pagara) is a strong boxer but I will do my best to score a knockout win,” said Meraz who boasts of a 69.57 percent knockout percentage. He has stopped nine of his opponents in the opening round.
“Yes I can stop him because we have already seen his fight tapes and have prepared our own strategy,” added Meraz who is coming off a 10-round unanimous decision win over Javier Carrera last May 14. “Both our records tell what kind of boxers we are so expect a war inside the ring,” said Meraz.
EXPERIENCE OVER YOUTH
Meanwhile, Partida who is an ‘Olympiada’ national champion in Mexico has won more than a hundred bouts as an amateur. The 26 year-old Mexican expressed confidence of beating the unbeaten 20-year old Albert Pagara (20-0,14KOs).
The two will fight for the vacant IBF Intercontinental title in the co-main event.
“This will be a war. He’s young and talented but I have more experience and that’s my advantage over him,” said Partida, who is riding on a four-match win streak.
The card’s final press conference will be held today at the Aegean Room of Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino to be attended by all the protagonists of this Saturday’s explosive card.