DEMOLITION DAY LIVES UP TO ITS BILLING AS NIETES, DONAIRE AND PAGARA DESTROY THEIR OPPONENTS
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 29 Mar 2015
Nietes scores on Parra.
ALA Promotions and ABS-CBN?s ?Pinoy Pride 30? titled Demolition Day lived up to its billing as all three featured stars on the blockbuster fight card destroyed their opponents before a large and enthusiastic crowd at the Araneta Coliseum Saturday.
Among the celebrities at special ringside were former president and now Mayor of Manila Joseph Estrada, the owner of the Araneta Coliseum ?Nene? Araneta and his charming wife Stella Marquez Araneta, ABS-CBN top honcho Gabby Lopez, Congressman Henry Cojuangco and a galaxy of showbiz stars including Bayani Agbayani, Edu Manzano, Randy and Raymart Santiago and the dynamic Purefoods PBA duo of James Yap and Marc Pingris as well as former PBA chairman Ricky Vargas among others.
Undefeated IBF International junior featherweight champion Prince Albert Pagara engaged Mexico?s KO artist Rodolfo ?Fofo? Hernandez in an all-out war before the Mexican injured his right hand and couldn?t continue with Pagara winning by a 5th round TKO.
Pagara unleashed a solid body shot and then cracked Hernandez with a vicious right straight that dropped the Mexican around the two minute mark of the opening round.
Pagara catches Hernandez.
Although Hernandez who had an awesome record of 24 knockouts in 26 wins with 2 losses entering the ring, came back in round two with some good combinations and battled Pagara in the third. But the 21 year old fighter, named the ?Most Promising Boxer of 2014? at the 15th ?Flash? Elorde awards, nailed Hernandez with a looping right hand that shook the Mexican and then battered him in round four with a series of vicious hooks to the body and the side of the head before Hernandez quit in his corner prior to the start of round five.
Nonito ?The Filipino Flash? Donaire flashed his vaunted speed and punching power to overwhelm Brazil?s William Prado. Donaire used the ring with deft footwork, catching Prado with a rapier-like jab and vicious uppercuts.
Donaire, eager to make a statement in his first comeback fight since his crushing 6th round loss to WBA featherweight super champion Nicholas ?Axe Man? Walters responded to the crowd who kept chanting his name at the start of the second round and went after Prado with a vengeance.
Donaire tags Prado.
Donaire battered the Brazilian without let-up and jumped into him with thunderous left hooks and uppercuts that had Prado reeling across the ring and when Donaire trapped him on the ropes and continued to land some big bombs, internationally respected referee Bruce McTavish stepped in and stopped the massacre at 2:16 of round two.
With the win Donaire lifted his record to 34-3 with 22 knockouts while Prado dropped to 22-5-1 with 15 knockouts.
Ironically, the Brazilian lost on the day the WBC presented his countryman and Sao Paulo native Eder Jofre the WBC belt as the greatest bantamweight champion of all time. Jofre defended his title once in the Philippines when he beat Johnny Jamito who quit before the twelfth round after he was sent to the canvas by Jofre before the bell ending round eleven and failed to come out for the 12th round at the Araneta Coliseum on May 18, 1963.
Referee Jack Reiss administers the eight count on Parra after Nietes (L) scored a knockdown.
WBO light flyweight champion Donnie ?Ahas? Nietes, the longest reigning Filipino world champion broke down Mexico?s touted Gilberto Parra who had a record of 17 knockouts in 19 wins with 2 draws, round by round, before stepping up his attack in the eighth round with a stinging left to the body and a right to the head to drop Parra who continued to run away from the assault of Nietes wjo chased him around the ring as fans booed the Mexican for his refusal to stand up and fight like Mexican warriors are known for.
A nasty gash on the eyelid of Parra?s left eye caused by the incessant pounding he received from Nietes spelled the end for him when referee Jack Reiss stopped the fight on the advice of the ring doctor at the end of the 9th round for a dominating TKO victory by Nietes who improved his record to 35-1 with 21 knockouts while Parra suffered his third defeat against 19 wins, 17 by KO.
In a post fight interview by ABS-CBN reporter Dyan Castillejo atop the ring Donaire said he had been away from his pregnant wife Rachel and his son Jarrel whom he missed terribly and now knows what it is like for overseas Filipino workers who are separated for months if not years from their loved ones and said he was dedicating his victory to our OFWs.
In a separate news conference Donaire said his smashing victory was ?definitely a statement at where I am-my power and everything I had. I?m ready to step up to another level. I overwhelmed him with power.?
He acknowledged that the crowd chanting his name was ?amazing and gave me a lot of energy. I felt it going into my body? which made him determined to give the fans an exciting finish.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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