NIETES TO FACE FORMER WORLD CHAMP EDGAR SOSA FOR WBO INTER-CONTINENTAL FLYWEIGHT BELT ON SEP 24
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 03 Aug 2016
CEBU ? Two division world champion Donnie 'Ahas' Nietes climbs one division higher to face former world champion Edgar Sosa of Mexico for the WBO Inter-Continental flyweight title on the main event of 'Pinoy Pride 38' at the StubHub Center in Carson, California on September 24, ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer has informed Philboxing.
?It's a go for Donnie [Nietes] and former world champion Edgar Sosa,? Aldeguer said. ?Donnie feels that his body right now is ripe to fight in the flyweight division. Although he can still make the junior flyweight limit, Donnie wants to fight in the higher division.?
Nietes was mandated by the WBO to face No. 1 contender Moises Fuentes of Mexico whom Nietes fought to a draw in their first fight on March 2, 2013 but knocked down three times en route to a 9th round stoppage in their rematch on May 10, 2014. Nietes, however, did not see the point of fighting Fuentes again and told his promoter to arrange a fight with WBO/WBA flyweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada of Mexico, who, like Fuentes is being promoted by Zanfer Promotions. The Nietes-Estrada negotiations fell through after the WBA has mandated Estrada to face regular champion Kazuto Ioka of Japan.
Nietes hopes a win over Sosa, who is also being promoted by Zanfer, will put him in a position to challenge Juan Francisco Estrada for next year's blockbuster matchup, if Estrada gets past Ioka.
Not fighting his mandatory challenger Fuentes means Nietes giving up his current WBO. ?In fairness to the WBO, we won't be able to hold on the Donnie's junior flyweight belt,? Aldeguer said.
Sosa (52-9-0, 30KO) won the vacant WBC world light flyweight over Filipino-American Brian Viloria on April 14, 2007 and successfully defended it 10 times until he was dethroned by Rodel Mayol of the Philippines on Nov. 21, 2009 in a somewhat controversial bout when Sosa was hit by a headbutt by Mayol on his cheekbone allowing Mayol to take advantage of the situation and stopped Sosa in the 2nd round.
Sosa later moved up in weight and challenged for the WBC flyweight title three times but lost each time against Pongsaklek Wonjongkam of Thailand (10-21-11), Akira Yeagashi of Japan (12-06-13) and Roman Gonzalez of Nicaragua (05-16-2015).
Nietes, meanwhile, hasn't lost a fight since losing to Anky Angkota of Indonesia in a controversial fashion on Sep. 28, 2004. Nietes ruled the WBO minimumweight division for four years and later the WBO junior flyweight division from 2011 until the present.
Photo: Former world champion Edgar Sosa (R) in action against pound for pound king Roman Gozalez during their world title fight on May 16, 2015 at The Forum in Inglewood, CA.
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