ALA's trio of champions

ALA Promotions has much to be proud of, after a highly successful “Pinoy Pride XIV: Night of Champions” card held at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Pasay City late Saturday night. A lot of interesting stories behind the scenes made the triumphs of their three boxers even more dramatic, and the coming months very interesting from a fan’s perspective.

In the first of three anticipated bouts, Genesis “Azukal” Servania (17 wins, no losses and five knockouts going into the fight) was paired off against the inadvertently controversial Genaro “Poblanito” Garcia of Mexico. Garcia was slated to fight Bohol native Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista in Bohol in March. Poblanito had won 38 fights (22 by knockout), and had lost eight times, six of them to past or future world champions. But another Genaro Garcia, nicknamed “Panterita” arrived in Bohol unaccompanied after briefly getting lost in Manila. That Genaro Garcia had a mediocre record of 10 wins and 11 losses, getting knocked out in all of his defeats.

Naturally, the ensuing controversy marred the fight card. The Mexican agent named Victor Hugo Correa Cedillo and his son had purposely misrepresented themselves claiming it was the “real” Genaro Garcia who was coming to the Philippines and sent a ringer, instead. Panterita was overweight, out of shape, didn’t have a trainer and would not stand a chance against a fired-up Bautista. In fact, after the weigh-in which he did not pass, he even went on an eating binge, gaining even more weight.

The “true” Genaro Garcia vowed to clear his name by knocking out Servania and going after Bautista. Servania had never fought anyone of Garcia’s calibre before, and Bautista was a very interested spectator. And it was a splendid fight, with Garcia never backing off, throwing a wide variety of punches, and proving a nuisance to Servania, who kept his composure and stayed with the gameplan. Servania proved his patience, the new byword in the ALA stable, and wore down his shorter opponent, in the 12th and finals round. He caught Poblanito with an uppercut and followed it up with a combination, sending the Mexican bouncing off his posterior. After the veteran got back on his fight, Azukal went after his head, and knocked him down again. The fight ended at 2:02 of the 12th round.

Servania won the newly minted WBC international silver bantamweight championship, taking a huge step towards world contender status. His maturity the past three years has been impressive, and the win over Garcia proves he can go after bigger game. 

Next came Milan “El Metodico” Melindo, fighting for the vacant WBO international flyweight championship. Melindo was taking on the tall but tired Jesus Geles of Colombia. Geles was supposed to arrive over the weekend, but his visa was not accepted entering China, so he took a more circuitous route which included a stop in Johannesburg, South Africa. Because he was in transit for so long, the self-styled “El Cuchilla” was not able to work out, arrived overweight, and was thus disqualified from winning the belt. But he still stood in Melindo’s way.

In an early barrage, Melindo attacked the Colombian beanpole’s midsection, causing him to collapse. After a few moments to catch his breath, Melindo hacked away at Geles’ sides, causing him to fold up. The fight was over in two minutes, 21 seconds. So much for the long trip.

But of course, the king of the night was WBO world light flyweight champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes. Nietes (29 wins, 1 loss and 3 draws with 16 knockouts), the second-longest reigning Filipino world boxing champion in history, finally made a long-sought title defense at home, eking out a well-deserved unanimous decision win over the game but inflexible Felipe Salguero of Mexico (16-2-1 with 11 KOs). Nietes bobbed, weaved and fired hooks, uppercuts and straights all night over and through the porous defense of the slow Salguero, extending his reign he has held since winning it from Pornsawan Porpramook in September of 2007.

Nietes has been world champion for an uninterrupted five years, next only to Flash Elorde, who was undefeated as world junior lightweight champion for seven years. Furthermore, Nietes has not lost since 2004, and has defended his title on Mexico and anywhere the prize money has taken him. A man of few words, Nietes, who traditionally enters the ring with a python draped over his shoulders, was without his pet snake for this bout, probably because of the security challenge it would face at the Resorts World Manila. 

What lies next for the three? Perhaps the most interesting possibilities lie ahead for Melindo, who has been the epitome of professionalism and patience, waiting for his time to go for a world title. As the WBO’s number one contender in his weight class, he would probably be the next opponent for world champion Brian Viloria. The “Hawaiian Punch” is fresh off a ninth-round TKO of Omar Niño Romero in May at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig. It would be a very interesting scenario, and Viloria has about five months to make the call.

For Servania, three or four more fights, and he may be ready for his own title shot. Nietes, meanwhile, is starting to run out of opponents, and at 30 years old, is at a crossroads. A more natural minimumweight (in fact, considered one of the best five minimumweights of all time by the “Ultimate Book of Boxing Lists”) Nietes could extend his reign in a division where he has been at home for a while. 

The next few months will be very colorful for Philippine boxing.