MAASIN CITY, Philippines — Ghanaian brawler Laryea Gabriel Odoi (20-3, 14KOs) has vowed to inflict a painful defeat to hometown hero ‘Prince’ Albert Pagara (29-1, 20KOs) in their 12-round bout for the vacant WBO Intercontinental junior featherweight title topbilling the 'Pinoy Pride 44: Laban sa Leyte' fightcard tomorrow night here in the Southern Leyrte capital.
Odoi is extremely confident that he can pull off a shocker and take the WBO regional belt to Ghana.
“I traveled for more than 16 hours just to get here and show to the world my ability,” said Odoi in a press conference yesterday at the Ampil Pension House. “It has always been my dream to become a champion and he (Pagara) will help me achieve that.”
Odoi admitted that Pagara is a strong puncher but he doubted that the ALA Gym warrior will be the one to give him his first knockout defeat.
“I know he is hungry for a knockout win because he is fighting in his place but I can say that he is not going to hurt me,” said Odoi, who hasn’t been stopped in all of his three defeats.
The 24-year-old Pagara gamely accepted Odoi’s challenge.
“I won’t say what round but it would be amazing in front of my fans and family if I can knock him out,” Albert said. “This is the eighth time I'm fighting in Maasin and all of my past victories came in a form of knockout. Hopefully, I can do that again tomorrow.”
Pagara wants to make it four in a row to show that he has finally recovered after suffering a devastating knockout loss to Mexican Cesar Juarez two years ago in California.
“I am 100% ready and I know how important every win I can get so that I can go back to a world title contender status,” Albert added.
In the equally-exciting supporting main event of the slambang show co-presented by ALA Promotions and ABS-CBN Sports, ALA power-hitter Jeo ‘Santino’ Santisima (15-2, 13KOs) will vie for the vacant WBO Oriental super bantamweight belt against Likit Chane (16-5, 10KOs).
In the other featured bouts, Albert’s older brother Jason Pagara (40-3, 25KOs) takes on Indonesian Wellem Reyk (19-17, 5KOs), ‘King’ Arthur Villanueva (31-3, 17KOs) faces Renren Tesorio (16-12, 4KOs), while Melvin ‘Gringo’ Jerusalem(12-2, 7KOs) battles Philip Cuerdo (10-3, 4KOs).