NIETES MOVES UP TO FLYWEIGHT AND FACES FORMER WORLD CHAMPION EDGAR SOSA
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 03 Aug 2016
The longest reigning Filipino world champion Donnie Nietes is moving up to flyweight to test the waters in a fight against former world champion Edgar Sosa, the 36 year old Mexican veteran who is ranked No. 4 by the World Boxing Council.
The bout is set for September 24 at the StubHub Center in Carson City, California.
Nietes was originally seeking a title shot against WBO/WBA flyweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada or, failing that, planned to face Moises Fuentes also of Mexico in a mandatory title defense ordered by the WBO.
However, ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer told the Manila Standard that Nietes wants to move up in weight and will face Sosa who has a record of 52-9 with 30 knockouts.
Sosa won the WBC light flyweight championship by beating former champion Brian Viloria by a unanimous decision on April 14, 2007 and went on to defend his title no less than ten times.
In a highly controversial decision, Sosa lost his title to Filipino Rodel Mayol in 2009 after he was badly hurt by a head-butt from Mayol which sent Sosa to the canvas and caused him to sustain an injury which was later determined to be a triple-fracture.
The referee ruled the headbutt as an unintentional foul and deducted a point from Mayol. After the ringside doctor inspected the wound, the referee allowed the fight to continue despite Sosa still being groggy from the injury. When the action resumed, Sosa was dropped and the referee waved it off moments later. Sosa, who required a metal plate to be implanted on his cheekbone due to multiple fractures, filed a protest with the WBC to have the decision changed to a "no contest".
Due to the controversial nature of his defeat the WBC declared Sosa a "champion emeritus" which entitled him to either a rematch with Mayol, or a fight with flyweight champion Pongsaklek Wonjongkam, once Sosa had recovered from his injuries.
Even before his controversial loss Sosa had discussed moving up in weight.
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