WBO ORDERS LT. FLYWEIGHT CHAMPION NIETES TO FACE MANDATORY CHALLENGER RODRIGUEZ JR
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 18 Feb 2015
While WBO light flyweight champion Donnie ?Ahas? Nietes was preparing for his voluntary title defense against Mexico?s Luis Ceja which the WBO had been informed about, president Francisco ?Paco? Valcarcel has suddenly informed ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer that Nietes has to defend his title against No.1 ranked contender Francisco Rodriguez Jr in a mandatory.
Aldeguer told the Manila Standard/Viva Sports that while he was surprised at the decision he had consulted Nietes and his training staff who said they are ready and willing to face Rodriguez in a title defense at the Mall of Asia Arena on March 28 in a blockbuster card that would also feature five division world champion Nonito ?The Filipino Flash? Donaire.
However, Aldeguer said he was hoping the WBO president would allow Nietes, the longest-reigning Filipino world champion to face Ceja as planned on March 28 before defending his title against mandatory challenger Rodriguez Jr sometime in July.
He is still waiting for a response from Valcarcel. At the same time Aldeguer said he doesn?t know whether Zanfer Promotions Fernando Beltran would agree to a title fight on March 28 in Manila.
The 21 year old Rodriguez has a record of 17-2-1 with 11 knockouts and is coming off an impressive ten round unanimous decision over another Filipino Jomar Fajardo in a rematch in Chiapas, Mexico last January 31 after Fajardo engaged the WBO minimum weight champion in a split draw over ten rounds on November 15, 2014 in Cebu.
The tough Rodriguez won the WBO minimum weight title with a stunning 10th round TKO over then champion Merlito ?Tiger? Sabillo, dropping Sabillo twice en route to the victory.
He then successfully defended the title against Japan?s Katsunari Takayama dropping Takayama in the 3rd round en route to a unanimous twelve round decision.
Nietes captured the light flyweight title with a unanimous decision over Ramon Garcia Hirales in October 2011 and has successfully defended the title five times, scoring the biggest win of his career in a rematch against Moises Fuentes of Mexico.
Nietes dropped Fuentes three times in the 9th round en route to a spectacular knockout victory and hammered Carlos Velarde who retired in the 7th round.
The 32 year old Nietes who will be inducted into the Gabriel ?Flash? Elorde Hall of Fame on March 25 has said he wants to reign as world champion for ten years.
He has a record of 34-1-4 with 20 knockouts.
Photo: Rodriguez (R) connects against Fajardo with a right.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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