Servania clashes with ex-champ Muñoz Saturday
MANILA, Philippines — The time has come for Genesis Servania to show his mettle in the ring.
A win over Alexander Muñoz Saturday night will prove his worth as a world title prospect. A defeat, though, will push him back to oblivion.
The pride of Bacolod spent three months of intense training, including stints in San Diego, California, and Tijuana, Mexico, for his defense of the World Boxing Organization intercontinental junior featherweight title at Solaire Resort & Casino ballroom in Parañaque.
But Muñoz has ample credentials to give Servania a boxing lesson despite the Filipino’s sterling 23-0 record with nine knockouts.
An explosive former two-division world champion, the 35-year-old Venezuelan is a veteran of 41 fights with only five losses, all coming in title bouts.
From among Muñoz’s 36 victims, only eight went the distance, and he disposed of the first 23 in succession.
The 22-year-old Servania said he is ready to make adjustments in the ring to deal with Muñoz’s power.
Shelving retirement plans, Muñoz trained for over two months and said he feels physically and mentally ready to derail Servania’s climb to the top.
The protagonists easily made the 122-pound limit in yesterday’s official weigh-in for Pinoy Pride XXIV. Servania checked in lighter at 121 lb while Muñoz was right on the dot.
In Thursday’s press conference, Muñoz predicted a knockout.
Servania said he expects Muñoz to press him in the headliner of the ALA Promotions-ABS-CBN Sports collaboration.
The supporting 10-round bout pits Maasin City rising star “Prince” Albert Pagara (18-0, 12 KOs) against former Indonesian titlist Isack Junior (22-4-2, 8 KOs), also at 122 lb. Pagara, only 19, and Junior both hit the weight limit.
“King” Arthur Villanueva, also from Bacolod and likewise unscathed (24-0, 14 KOs), battles late substitute Fernando Aguilar (9-6, 1 KO) of Mexico in another 10-rounder.
ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer said he would line up Servania for a world title fight if he gets past Muñoz.
