NIETES SCHOOLS ALEJO, THEN CALLS OUT GONZALEZ
By Salven L. Lagumbay
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 19 Oct 2015
CARSON, CA.--WBO junior flyweight champion Donnie 'Ahas' Nietes came through with a clinical and workman-like unanimous decision win yesterday over game Mexican challenger Juan 'Pinky' Alejo, then called out pound-for-pound no. 1 boxer Roman Gonzalez moments after his victory at Stub Hub Center here.
This, just minutes after the Nicaraguan Roman Gonzalez outclassed and possibly sent Brian 'Hawaiian Punch' Viloria to retirement in the ninth round of a scheduled 12-rounder at the Madison Square Garden in New York.
"I'm ready for Roman Gonzalez," Nietes told a throng of media people gathered ringside in a post-fight press conference arranged by ALA Promotions and ABS-CBN.
Against Alejo, Nietes was nearly flawless, delivering a one-sided beatdown on an opponent tough as nails who refused to go down despite being outclassed and outlanded.
Veteran judge Lou Moret scored the bout 120-108, while judges Pat Russell and Marshall Walker both saw it 119-109 in favor of the Murcia, Negros Occidental native Nietes.
"Sumakit yung right hand ko starting sa third round. Di ko masyadong nagamit," apologized Nietes, who badly wanted a knockout in his debut appearance in the United States.
With a good capacity crowd made up mostly of California-based Filipinos, Nietes started focused in the get-go, finding his target using a stiff jab and an ultra-tight defense. By the second round, Alejo was already cut below his right eye by a series of shots, and his face reddened by left-and-right combos.
Nietes continued to out-land Alejo in the third before the Mexican challenger rocked Nietes somehow in the dying seconds of the round.
The 32-year-old Nietes continued to bewilder Alejo with combinations through rounds four to six, throwing everything in his arsenal, but the Mexican mysteriously survived the onslaught and kept moving forward.
Nietes had his biggest round in the seventh, rocking Alejo several times causing the latter to wobble around, but the sound of the bell gave the Mexican a chance to survive the onslaught.
Nietes continued to pound on the tough-as-nails Alejo through rounds eight to ten, before the Mexican somehow recovered in the eleventh as Nietes slowed down possibly to regain his momentum going into the final round.
Fighting as if he was behind on points, the longest-reigning Filipino world champion didn't put down his guard, engaging Alejo in a toe-to-toe war in the final round. Nietes had the upperhand in this round, as Alejo got tagged several times once again to close out an stellar performance.
ALA Promotions CEO Michael Aldeguer, meanwhile, informed the media that Nietes' most likely next fight will be sometime March in Bacolod City.
"But we've started talks with Gonzalez's promoter K2 Promotions. And there are serious talks about Nietes-Gonzalez," added Aldeguer.
Peter Musngi, head for sports at giant network ABS-CBN, added that there are at least 8 events being lined up for "Pinoy Pride" in 2016 including events in the Middle East, Philippines and in the United States.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Salven L. Lagumbay.
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