by Ronnie Nathanielsz

Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach thinks unbeaten Filipino super bantamweight Prince Albert Pagara may be a future world champion which is a view expressed some time ago by “Dodong” Donaire, trainer/farther of five division world champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire.

Pagara has been working out at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles and Roach has occasionally done the punch-mitts with him and watched him train and has obviously been impressed with the young fighter’s potential.

Prince Albert is currently training in San Francisco in preparation for his fight of a lifetime against rugged Mexican Cesar Juarez who engaged Donaire in a brutal battle over the second half of their fight for the vacant world title which Donaire won after dropping Juarez twice in the fourth round and dominating the first half of the fight and occasionally catching the Mexican with some cracking punches off the ropes in the championship rounds.

Roach was quoted as saying “I think he may be a future champion”

As the ALA team settles in San Francisco, Freddie Roach, who has always welcomed them in his gym at the Wild Card in LA, did not hesitate to claim how he sees Filipino prospect “Prince” Albert Pagara pointing out that “Albert is one of the best Filipino fighters in the world. I think he may be a future champion” when asked  to comment on  Pagara’s tough upcoming test against Juarez , who fought for the world title against” Donaire in Puerto Rico in early December last year in a “Fight of the Year” nominee.

Regarded as one of the top rising stars in Philippine Boxing, the undefeated Pagara is No.2 in the WBO world rankings and is the current WBO Intercontinental Jr. Bantamweight Champion. Winning  his fights against Raul Hirales and William Gonzalez in two fights in which he showed a lot of promise.

Prince Albert  himself is confident about claiming victory in what his promoter and ALA Promotions International President/CEO Michael Aldeguer considers to be the make-or-break fight of his young career

The eagerly anticipated showdown will take place at the San Mateo Event Center on July 9, and is the second US edition of ALA Promotions International’s flagship program, Pinoy Pride. It will be shown live internationally via The Filipino Channel (TFC) and in the Philippines via ABS-CBN Channel 2 and ABS-CBN Sports and Action, with Donaire likely to team-up with Dyan Castillejo for the coverage.