11 Jul Pride of Cagayan de Oro Albert Pagara’s First Defeat
Even the best fall down sometimes.
On Saturday,July 9, the 22-year old “Prince”Albert Pagara of Cagayan de Oro, Philippines suffered his first defeat as a professional boxer in the hands of tough Mexican Cesar Juarez with 15 seconds left on round 8.
Before the bout, Pagara was ranked number two by the WBO, number 4 by the IBF and number 10 by the WBC at 122 pounds.
Pagara is one the country’s strongest young boxing talent with a record of 26 wins, 1 defeat, to go along with 18 knockouts.
Juarez has been knocked down Pagara in the first round and maintained a controlled pace in the first four rounds. But Juarez remained composed and bounced back in the fifth round, attacking Pagara in his core.
Pagara slowly lost his stamina due to Juarez’s persistent punches in the body. By the end of the seventh-round, Pagara has been exhausted and finally fall to the ground after a 4-punch combination of Juarez in the 8th round.
The 24-year-old Juarez has a record of 18-5, with 14 KOs. He is known to be a tough boxer after giving Nonito Donaire Jr a tough fight in December last year.
Pagara’s trainer, Edito Villamor said that there is now less concern on Pagara’s health as he is now already standing and talking in the Hospital.
Meanwhile, Jason Pagara, Albert’s brother, won on the same day against Abraham Alvarez with a right-hand flush on the chin on round 3. Jason is rated as the number one in the world by the WBO at 140 pounds. His current record is 39-2, 24 KOs. With that win, Jason clinched his 12th straight win as a professional boxer.
The Pagara brothers are one of the few top boxers in the Philippines. Despite Prince Albert’s first defeat, the city of Cagayan de Oro remained hopeful in their youngest boxing superstar’s future.
No Comments