Pagara vows to regain lost honor

AFTER losing his WBO Asia Pacific Youth light welterweight belt to Rosbel “Lobito” Montoya of Mexico last year, 23-year-old Jason “El Nino” Pagara vows to regain lost ground when he fights in the undercard of ALA Boxing Promotion’s Pinoy Pride XII on March 3 in Tagbilaran City, Bohol.

ALA Promotions top honcho Michael Aldeguer said Pagara’s opponent has yet to be identified but it will surely be a foreigner.

For Pagara, his loss to Montoya will be a source of strength to regain his winning ways.

Aldeguer said he will give Pagara a rematch against Montoya if he performs will in Bohol.

“We will give him another chance,” said Aldeguer. “For me, that loss woke him up and made him realize that he has a great responsibility inside the ring.”

According to Aldeguer, Pagara was on his way to becoming a headliner of the famed Pinoy Pride Boxing Series. But everything fell apart because of that unexpected unanimous decision loss to Montoya.

“He was there already. But personal problems truly distracted him, and that was the main reason why he lost to a fighter that he could have easily beaten,” Aldeguer revealed.

Pagara, from Cagayan de Oro City, also realized that it was his fault that he lost to Montoya in a lopsided fashion last September.

“Sayangan kaayo ko atong panahona kay dili jud ko ka focus ato nga fight tungod sa problema sa akong pamilya,” he said. “Usa pa, kulang akong training. Karon, paningkamotan na jud nako nga maka balik ko ug kusog ug mahimong champion ug balik.”

Aldeguer said Pagara was close to making it to the top 10 of the WBO light welterweight rankings before his loss to Montoya.

Pinoy Pride XII will be headlined by Rey “Boom-Boom” Bautista and Mexican Genaro Garcia.