Nietes Should Go For Unification Instead of Moving Up in Weight!
By Reylan Loberternos
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 14 Jul 2015
Tagbilaran City, Bohol - Why hasn?t the Nietes camp explored the possibility of unifying the belts in the light flyweight division (108 lbs)?
This is quite perplexing, especially after ALA Promotions President and CEO Michael Aldeguer declared that the Nietes camp is now planning to move up a notch to ply his wares in the heavier flyweight division (112 lbs).
After wresting the World Boxing Organization light flyweight diadem from erstwhile champion Ramon Garcia Hirales of Mexico in October of 2011, Nietes has strung eight consecutive victories in the 108-pound weight division, all but one with his championship belt at stake. The latest of which was just this weekend when he beat another Mexican in 22-yr-old Francisco Rodriguez Jr. via a unanimous decision.
Nietes? successes against these carefully chosen foes have made him the hottest commodity of ALA Promotions, which has worked hand in hand with ABS-CBN Sports in the now very commercially successful Pinoy Pride series. Is Nietes being protected for commercial purposes?
One very intriguing unification option for Nietes would be against reigning IBF light flyweight champion Javier Mendoza (24-2-1, 19 KOs), another Mexican, who defeated Nietes? stablemate Milan Melindo last May. If ALA Promotions was able to book a date with one of its prized fighters versus the IBF champ, then there should be no reason why they couldn?t do the same for what could be a more lucrative unification bout.
Then there?s another Mexican in 26-yr-old Pedro Guevara (26-1-1, 17 KOs), who currently holds the WBC version of the light flyweight title. And if ALA Promotions doesn?t want to cross continents, they might as well just head north and pick a fight against the reigning WBA light flyweight king Ryoichi Taguchi (22-2-1, 9 KOs) of Japan.
It?s about time for Donnie ?Ahas? Nietes, the pride of Negros, to strut his stuff beyond the WBO umbrella. Moving up in weight may be the best option for him and his handlers in the business side of things, but in the context of legacy and greatness, staying put at the 108-lb limit and becoming the division?s true and undisputed champion is indubitably the best course of action.
Comments are highly appreciated. You may send them to reylanloberternos@yahoo.com.ph. Follow me on twitter @reylan_l
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Reylan Loberternos.
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