Servania, 2 other PH pugs prevail in Dubai

DUBAI—Genesis “Azukal” Servania scored a 10th-round technical knockout against an opponent who vowed to come out “like a warrior” but instead complainingly quit after sustaining a deep cut on his left cheek late Friday night in Pinoy Pride 27’s “Duel in Dubai” at World Trade Center here.

“I had to come out tough because Mexican fighters are really tough,” Servania, who retained his WBO super bantamweight title, said in Filipino after his opponent, Mexican Jose “Matador” Cabrera decided not to continue the fight during the break after the ninth round.

A barrage from Servania in the ninth opened the wound in Cabrera’s left cheek with the Mexican complaining to the referee that he was intentionally fouled. Cabrera and his corner had a discussion with the referee before opting to quit, drawing boos from the crowd.

Servania raised his undefeated card to 25-0 with 11 knockouts,
The two other Filipino headliners in the card also came out victorious, much to the delight of the packed sellout crowd of OFWs whose response to the event tickled organizers so much that plans are afoot for another trip here.

Giddy organizers ALA Promotions and ABS-CBN Sports are even thinking of bringing superstar Nonito Donaire Jr. to headline the card.

“King” Arthur Villanueva rose from a knockdown to salvage a split decision against crafty Nicaraguan slugger Henry “El Crespo” Maldonado while Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista hammered out a technical majority decision against Mexican Juan Jose “Piquet” Martinez after the referee stopped the fight due to the Filipino’s deep cut near both his eyes.

In the night’s most action-packed bouts, Villanueva (26-0) kept his undefeated record intact despite hitting the deck in the second round after walking into a Maldonado combination while going for the kill.

“I went for the kill and got careless,” said Villanueva, who looked to be in trouble twice more during the bout before scoring the decision.

Maldonado came out of the eight-count firing and unloaded at a barrage that ended only at the bell. Three rounds later, the methodical Maldonado stunned Villanueva with a crisp left, but the young Filipino managed to stay up.

Villanueva patiently worked his way back to the bout, rocking Maldonado in the 7th and 9th rounds.

Judge Danrex Tapdasan had it 117-110 while Yongsak Na Songkha had it 116-113 for the Filipino, who won the IBF international junior bantamweight title. Judge Cherdchaichannon Sticharat scored it 114-113 for Maldonado, who wept when the decision was read.

Maldonado refused a handshake from Villanueva but later approached him at the center of the ring for a hug.

Bautista and Martinez clashed heads in the seventh round, opening a deep cut on the Filipino’s left cheek that required a look from the ringside physician, who deemed “Boom Boom” unfit to continue. The match thus went to the scorecards.

Bautista finished ahead on the cards of two judges. The other judge scored it a tie.

Tickets were sold out and hundreds of fans had to be turned away.