JASON and ALBERT PAGARA
ALA Promotions International’s second fight card in Dubai will be bigger and grander than last year’s mega blockbuster offering.
This was the promise of ALA Promotions CEO Michael P. Aldeguer during yesterday’s official launching of Pinoy Pride 32: Duel in Dubai II on August 7.
The much-awaited encore will be held at the 4,600-seater Dubai World Trade Center featuring Philippine boxing’s hottest fighting brothers, Jason and Albert Pagara, who will face dangerous Mexican foes.
Last year, the first Duel in Dubai which featured World Boxing Organization (WBO) Intercontinental super-bantamweight champion Genesis Servania, IBF International super-flyweight king Arthur Villanueva and Boom-Boom Bautista was witnessed by a sell-out crowd with hundreds more unable to secure tickets.
“We’ve never seen a crowd like what we’ve seen in Dubai last year. We were overwhelmed by the huge interest for this card,” said Aldeguer.
“In fact, we have to move it from June to August because we need a bigger venue so that we won’t be turning away boxing fans this time,” added Aldeguer.
Five years after announcing it will be going global in partnership with ABS-CBN and The Filipino Channel (TFC), ALA Promotions International has set a solid foothold in the shining desert emirate with three fight cards set to be held there next year.
Meanwhile, “Prince” Albert Pagara will defend his IBF Intercontinental junior featherweight title against Jesus “Chito” Rios in the card’s main event while his older brother, WBO International super-lightweight king Jason “El Niño” Pagara (35-2, 22KOs) will face Mexican Ramiro Alcaraz (15-4, 9KOs) in the 10-round co-main event.
This will be the second time the brothers will fight in the same card but their first outside the country.
“There will be a knockout, I promise that. I will do my best to entertain the fans, especially the Filipino fans that will be watching,” said Albert Pagara who is ranked No. 5 by the IBF and 12 by the WBC.
Jason, whose division is stacked with some of the best fighters in the world, said he is willing to wait for a world title shot.
The 26-year-old Jason Pagara is ranked No. 2 by the WBO in the super-lightweight division, behind Lucas Matthyse and champion Terence Crawford.
If they both win, Aldeguer said they could land a spot in a fight card to be promoted by ALA in Carson City California, later this year.
Rios (31W-7L-1D, 25KOs) has fought and lost to Filipino Michael Fareñas and Fernando Montiel. He won his last fight by first-round TKO against Aram Valle.
Alcaraz (15-4-1, 9KOs), on the other hand, lost in his bid for the WBC Silver super-lightweight title last year to Roberto Ortiz. He won his last fight against Jonas Olivas via a seventh-round TKO.
Also in Pinoy Pride 32: Duel in Dubai II is Jimrex “Executioner” Jaca (39-8-6, 22KOs), who will take on Mexican Pablo Lugo Montiel (21-5, 17KOs).
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