CARSON, California – They delivered the knockouts – as promised.
Jason Pagara, Mark Magsayo and Albert Pagara climbed the ring one after the other Saturday and left the StubHub Center grinning from ear to ear.
Jason, fighting at junior welterweight, turned on the heat and scored a sensational second-round (2:53) knockout over Nicaragua’s Santos “El Toro” Benavides.
He climbed the ring post, punched the air and faced the sky after the win.
Magsayo, undefeated in 12 fights, needed only two minutes to stop Yardley Suarez of Mexico. He needed more time to walk into the ring than win the fight.
After Suarez was waved off by the referee, Magsayo did the backflip and celebrated his 12th win as a pro with 10 knockouts.
“Hindi ko expected,” said Magsayo, a bright prospect.
Then Albert, nicknamed “The Prince,” showed why someday he might be king, taking the challenge from Nicaragua’s William Gonzalez before scoring his own knockout.
A long right straight to the face of Gonzalez, who had gone down in the second round, signaled the end of the fight in the 2:20 mark of the sixth round.
Albert pleased the crowd with his fighting style, and added some touch with his hair dyed blonde and neon green outfit.
It was his 25th win with 18 knockouts and no defeat.
In the second, he floored Gonzalez with a body blow, and as his opponent sat on the canvas, Albert landed a punch to the face.
He was deducted a point by referee Jack Reiss. As Gonzalez rested on a neutral corner, the referee told Albert, “Don’t do that again.”
During the post-fight press conference, the 20-year-old Filipino laughed it off.
“Nasaktan ko talaga siya sa second round. Nasobrahan lang nga ng isang suntok (I really hurt him in that round but threw the extra punch),” he said.
Albert left the StubHub Center parading the WBO and IBF Intercontinental super-bantamweight belts.
“I think I’m ready to contend for the world title,” he said.
“All you need is the proper training and discipline,” Albert, already with the swagger of a world champion, added.
The crowd loved what they saw from three of ALA’s pride, who were in their US debut.
On the eve of the fight, the 23-year-old Jason had hinted an early knockout of his opponent. He delivered.
At the opening bell, Jason landed powerful combinations to set up the tempo. Early in the second, he floored Benavides with a left hook to the face.
The Filipino crowd rejoiced at the first knockdown, and right then it was just a matter of time before Jason scored two more knockdowns.
A left hook followed by a right straight put an end to the fight in the 2:53 mark of the second, and Benavides was walked to his corner by the referee.
“Kahit sinong champion lalabanan ko (I will face any champion),” he said.