Albert Pagara (right) and Cesar Juarez at the Golden Gate Bridge. (DONG SECUYA)
San Mateo, California – WBO Inter-Continental Super Bantamweight champion “Prince” Albert Pagara of the Philippines appeared calm and relaxed as he meet face to face for the first time his highly touted challenger Cesar Juarez of Mexico during Thursday’s final press conference held at the San Mateo Event Pavillon ahead of their bout this Saturday night (Sunday morning in Manila) at the San Mateo Event Center on “Pinoy Pride 37: Firsts of the Future.”
Pagara, who repeatedly heard from Juarez’s camp that he is not on the same level with Juarez, said “Nakuha na namin yong style niya, hindi kami kabado (We’ve figured out his style, so we’re not worried).”
It’s no secret that Juarez puts pressure on his opponents by continually moving forward and try to smother his opponent with his nonstop punching, a style that brought 2012 fighter of the year Nonito Donaire Jr. into deep waters during their world title fight last Dec. 11 in Puerto Rico where Donaire escaped with a victory in a fight of the year candidate.
Pagara’s trainer Edmund Villamor also said that they have prepared a Plan B if their initial approach to the fight won’t work. “We have a Plan B if he changes his approach to the fight,” Villamor said. “We will see it during the actual fight and adjust accordingly.”
Both fighters professed that they are in tip-top condition and raring to give their all come Saturday.
Meanwhile Juarez, who earlier said that he will not lose again against any Filipino fighter, said he wants a rematch with Donaire after getting past Pagara. “I want to prove that I can beat Donaire. I want a rematch.”
The main supporting bout between WBO No. 1 junior welterweight Jason “El Niño” Pagara (38-2-0, 23KO) and his Mexican opponent Abraham Alvarez (21-9-1, 10KO) promises to be a slambang affair as Alvarez, whose 9 losses were all by knockout, promised to “win by knockout or lose by knockout.”
“I will live and die in the ring,” Alvarez said.
To which Jason responded, “I like that. That’s a style that I want.”
The Jason Pagara-Alvarez fight will be contested in the welterweight 147 lb limit.
The official weigh-in will be held at the Serramonte Mall in Daly City tomorrow, Friday, at 12:00 noon./Philboxing.com Dong Secuya
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