NIETES, GONZALEZ ON A COLLISION COURSE; PINOY PRIDE 33 PRESSER PHOTOS & VIDEO
By Dong Secuya PhilBoxing.com Fri, 16 Oct 2015
Carson, CA ? The Philippines' longest reigning world champion Donnie 'Ahas' Nietes who currently holds the WBO junior flyweight diadem, is in collision course with the world's No. 1 pound for pound fighter on the planet and WBC flyweight champion Roman 'Chocolatito' Gonzalez of Nicaragua, if both fighters win their respective fights this Saturday evening, Nietes at the StubHub Center here and Gonzalez at the Madison Square Garden in New York.
ALA Promotions President and CEO Michael Aldeguer informed the media in response to a question during the final press conference of 'Pinoy Pride 33 ? The Philippines vs The World' held at Carson Civic Center Friday that he has been contacted by Gonzalez's promoter and an HBO representative for preliminary talks about a possible Gonzalez-Nietes showdown.
?They want the fight and Nietes wants the fight and we want the fight,? Aldeguer said referring to the mouth-watering Gonzalez-Nietes bout. ?But we are not thinking about that fight right now. Nietes will be facing [Mexican No. 8 contender Juan] Alejo this Saturday and Nietes has to win that fight first. You'll never know the outcome and Alejo has nothing to lose,? Aldeguer said.
Gonzalez, on the other hand, has to win his fight against former 3-time world champion Filipino-American Brian Viloria on Saturday, never a sure thing for the undefeated Nicaraguan.
Nietes (36-1-4, 21KO) has been a world champion since Sep. 30, 2007 in the minimum weight and junior flyweight divisions and his only defeat was against a questionable split-decision loss over Indonesia's Anky Angkota on Sep. 28, 2004 in Jakarta while Gonzalez (43-0-0, 37KO) got his first championship belt on Sep. 15, 2008 and went on to win belts in the light flyweight and flyweight divisions.
Nietes and Gonzalez fought together in one card in Oaxaca, Mexico on Feb. 28, 2009 where Nietes defended his WBO minimumweight title against Erik Ramirez of Mexico while Gonzalez also defended his WBA minimumweight title against Miguel Tellez, also of Mexico. Both visiting world champions came out victorious against their local Mexican challengers.
To be sure, boxing fans will be intently waiting for the results of the StubHub and Madison Square Garden events this Saturday.
Donnie Nietes (L) of the Philippines and Juan Alejo of Mexico face to face during Friday's weighin at the Carson Civic Center. Nietes will defend his WBO junior flyweight title against Alejo.
Albert Pagara (L) and William Gonzalez of Nicaragua. Pagara defends his WBO intercontinental jr featherweight title against Gonzalez.
Mark Magsayo (L) and Yardley Suarez. Magsayo defends his IBF youth featherweight title against Suarez.
Jason Pagara (L) and Santos Benavides will rumble for 10 rounds or less in a non-title fight.
The men behind 'Pinoy Pride 33' pose with the boxers (Seated, L-R): Ricky Ressurrecion, ABS-CBN Head of Ad Sales, Trade, Marketing & Events; Dino Laurena, ABS-CBN Head of Integrated Sports; Peter Musngi, The Voice of ABS-CBN; ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer; and City of Carson mayor protempore Elito Santarina.
