Pagara, Servania and Jaca to headline Pinoy Pride XX

CEBU, Philippines - ALA Boxing Gym stalwart Jason "El Niño" Pagara (30-2, 19KOs) will make the second defense of his WBO International light welterweight crown against Mexican Aaron "La Joya" Herrera (25-1, 17KOs) in the main event of the "Pinoy Pride XX:Laban Kung Laban" fightcard on May 25 at the Pacific grand ballroom of Waterfront-Cebu City Hotel and Casino. "We're here again after a big show in Davao and we're very happy to announce that we have another big event in Cebu this May 25. It's going to be a great fight. That's what Pinoy Pride is all about, giving fans quality and highly entertaining fights," said ALA Promotions President and CEO Michael P. Aldeguer in a press conference yesterday at St. Mark's Hotel situated just a stone's throw away from the Redemptorist Church. "For Pagara, it's going to be his stepping stone for a bigger fight ahead." This would be the second time that Pagara will headline a Pinoy Pride event, the first one took place on December 18 last year also at Waterfront where he scored a smashing sixth round stoppage of his former Mexican tormentor Rosbel Montoya in their rematch to seize the previously vacant WBO International 140-pound title. The 22-year-old Pagara kept his belt for the first time with a devastating first round knockout of Miguel Antoine of Barbados on October 20 last year at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. "I'm very excited for my upcoming fight. I will train and prepare hard for this because it's not only about defending my title, but also avenging the loss of Boom Boom ," said Pagara, referring to his friend Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista who suffered a heart-breaking loss by split decision to Jose "El Negro" Ramirez, a stablemate of Herrera, last Saturday night at the USEP gymnasium in Davao City. "The defeat of Boom Boom further fanned the fire in me to beat Herrera. When I fight the Mexican, revenge will surely be at the back of my mind," added the Cagayan de Oro City fighter. In the supporting main event of what promises to be another blockbuster show, the undefeated WBO Asia Pacific super bantamweight champion Genesis "Azukal" Servania (19-0, 7KOs) will stake his clean slate against Isaac Junior of Indonesia (20-3-2, 8KOs). Servania will surely go all-out to make an impression as his talent is now being noticed in the world stage most especially by Bob Arum's Top Rank Promotions, which is very keen on putting the Bacoleño boxer on the undercard of Milan Melindo's title bout against Brian Viloria's conqueror and reigning WBA/WBO flyweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada on July 27 in Macau. "If he does well, then sky is the limit for Servania," said Aldeguer. We were informed by Top Rank that they are planning to put Servania on the undercard of Melindo's fight in Macau on July 27. Let's just see what happens because Servania still has a fight next month but we're very excited for Servania to be include in that card." In the other feature of an explosive triple-header, Jimrex "The Executioner" Jaca (37-6-3, 21KOs) seeks to extend his winning streak to nine as he puts his WBO Oriental light welterweight throne against Jose Emilio Perea of Mexico (22-2, 14KOs).