Pagara brothers on the rise

MANILA, Philippines - The Pagara brothers of Cagayan de Oro have set high goals inside the boxing ring.

Jason, who will be 22 next month, and Albert, who just turned 20, are set to face Mario Meraz and Hugo Partida of Mexico in the Pinoy Pride card on June 21 at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City.

It will serve as acid tests for the Pagara brothers, who started boxing when they turned eight. Their father, Reynaldo, fought as an amateur. Their 10-year-old sibling, Gerald, is also into boxing.

“We used to watch our father fight,” Jason told scribes yesterday noon in a Quezon City restaurant.

“We ended taking the sport. We fought in town fiestas and age-group competitions until we were discovered by ALA Promotions and turned pro,” said Jason.

Jason, now a junior welterweight, has a ring record of 33-2-0 with 20 knockouts while Albert, a junior featherweight, is undefeated in 20 fights with 14 knockouts.

Albert won five gold medals in the Palarong Pambansa when he was in his teens. Jason said he won a silver and a couple of bronze medals in the school-based meet.

Right now, the Pagaras, who could be the next Peñalosas or Pacquiaos, can only dream of the big fights.

“I want to fight Brandon Rios. He’s a fighter. I like his style. If needed, I will fight him tomorrow under the rain,” said Jason in Filipino.

“I want Guillermo Rigondeaux,” said Albert, a Miami Heat fan. He dyes his Mohawk hair in bright colors because he thinks it helps intimidate his opponents.

“I notice my opponents looking at my hair as we fight. Siguro natatakot sila. Para akong warrior,” he said.

Dennis Canete, vice president of ALA Promotions, said the coming fights for the Pagara brothers will be used as another gauge on how far they could go.

“The tests will never end. It’s the first time Albert will face a Mexican so we’ll see. For Jason, there are high-profile fights in the 147 class so this is also very important for him,” said Canete.

Since the day the Pagaras joined ALA Promotions, headed by the father-and-son tandem of Tony and Michael Aldeguer, they haven’t stopped improving.

“The way they train and the way they fight, you know they want it. So we always try to take them to the higher level,” said Canete.

“If things go well, we can send them to San Diego for training. That’s where Donnie Nietes trained for two months before his last fight,” he added.

“But first, they have to hurdle their coming fights. Then we will take it from there,” the ALA official added.