MANILA, Philippines - The “Duel in Dubai” card turned out to be bloody, exciting and in favor of Filipino boxers Genesis Servania, Arthur Villanueva and Rey “Boom-Boom” Bautista.
Filipino fight fans trooped to the Dubai World Trade Center Friday evening for Pinoy Pride 27, and were not disappointed with the results.
Servania forced his Mexican opponent, Jose “Matador” Cabrera, into submission after nine rounds and retained his WBO Intercontinental super-bantamweight crown.
According to Philboxing.com, Servania floored Cabrera in the second round then continued to put the pressure on his opponent. But the Mexican refused to roll over and die.
Cabrera had his moments in the fifth, sixth and seventh rounds. Then Servania came back in the next two. There was a clash of heads in the eighth, opening a cut on the Mexican who was deducted a point.
Servania pounded Cabrera in the ninth, and the Mexican gave up the fight during the break.
The Filipino was ahead on all scorecards when the fight was stopped. Servania stretched his unbeaten record to 25-0 with 11 knockouts while Cabrera dropped to 24-5-2.
Villanueva, nicknamed “King Arthur,” suffered a flash knockdown against Nicaraguan Henry Maldonado in the second round but went on to control the fight en route to a 117-110, 116-113, 113-114 split decision.
Maldonado suffered a couple of cuts on his eyebrow and scalp in taking the loss, his fourth against 19 wins. Villanueva took the IBF Inrernational junior-bantamweight title and improved to 26-0 with 14 knockouts.
Bautista, who once came close to a world title, stayed on the comeback trail with a majority decision against Mexico’s Jose Martinez.
But Bautista had to pay the price, suffering a deep cut on his left eyelid after a clash of heads in the seventh round. Filipino ring physician Rene Bonsubre ordered the fight to be stopped.