NIETES REINVENTS HIMSELF
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 17 Aug 2016
Donnie 'Ahas' Nietes is one of the most accomplished boxer in the history of Philippine boxing: world champion in minimumweight division with four successful defenses; world champion in the junior flyweight division with nine successful defenses; longest reigning Filipino world champion of 8 years, 10 months and counting; Ring magazine champion and awarded by the WBO with a super champion status ? but one thing that eluded Nietes so far is real superstardom.
After a confluence of events and maybe something seething inside him, Nietes has made a big move in his career, dropping his WBO junior flyweight belt and jumped into the more lucrative flyweight division, to maybe finally achieve what he had missed his entire career.
?This time, my goal is to fight the big names in boxing,? Nietes told the Cebu media in a prepared statement Tuesday at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu during the launching of 'Philippines vs Mexico' ALA Promotions event scheduled at the StubHub Center in Carson, California on September 24 which Nietes will headline against former two-time world champion Edgar Sosa of Mexico.
Nietes was mandated by the WBO to defend his title against Moises Fuentes of Mexico whom Nietes had a draw in their first encounter but knocked down three times en route to 9th round demolition in their rematch. ?For me, I'm done in the junior flyweight division. Nobody there is left for me. I think it's time for me to challenge the other world champions [in the higher division],? Nietes said.
It used to be said that people come to watch Nietes fight because of Nietes's pet snake that he brings into the ring curling in his neck during his ring entrances and not his fights which, more often than not, lacks excitement. Critics put the heat on Nietes after his unpopular draw with Fuentes saying that Nietes has been protected all along and if paired with a real contender, he wilts under pressure. But perhaps lost to most boxing observers was Nietes's impressive run after the Fuentes draw where he stopped five of his last seven opponents inside the distance including dominant wins over Fuentes and former world champions Francisco Rodriguez Jr and Raul 'Rayito' Garcia.
Nietes's trainer Edmund Villamor said the reason for the higher KO percentage was they had changed Nietes's training regimen and had him sparred with bigger sparring partners. ?If we kept him paired with boxers at his weight during sparring, his power would not improve, so we had him sparred with bigger sparring partners like [bantamweight] Arthur Villanueva and [super flyweight] Jonas Sultan,? Villamor said. Villamor also said they had worked to improve on Nietes's speed and timing which was highly evident in his last few fights.
Both Nietes and Villamor are confident the power will still be there at the higher weight to which Nietes feels he is more comfortable now and thinks he can do a lot more in his boxing career. And starting with Sosa, Nietes plans to take on the elite fighters of the flyweight division and hopes to face WBO/WBA world champion Juan Francisco Estrada next. He also said he is willing to pursue pound for pound fighter Roman Gonzalez in the junior bantamweight division.
Will Nietes, 34, who has come a long way from a gym janitor to become the unlikely face of ALA Boxing Gym, become successful in his new mission to take on the biggest names and beat them? Will he finally achieve the stardom that so far has eluded him in his already hall of fame career? We will most likely get a glimpse of the answer come September 24.
Photo: Nietes (C) with trainers Edmund Villamor (L) and Edito Villamor during Tuesday's presscon at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City. Photo by Levi Deresas / PhilBoxing.com.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dong Secuya.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Rizal Memorial Coliseum: The Arena That Endured War and Forged Generations of Filipino Greats
By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, Tue, 09 Sep 2025“The Homecoming” turned into Coronation for Marco Romero
Tue, 09 Sep 2025Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz Speaks After Pushing Eduardo Nunez to the Limit in Thrilling War – A Potential Fight of the Year
Tue, 09 Sep 2025Santisima Wins But Vicelles Loses; Suarez-Navarrete Rematch Hangs in the Balance?
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Mon, 08 Sep 2025Locked & loaded for Lewis Crocker rematch, Paddy Donovan has prepared to be crowned the new IBF Welterweight World Champion
Mon, 08 Sep 2025Robby Gonzales Advances to Round of 16 with Win Over Cuba
Mon, 08 Sep 2025James Padua rules Marikina rapid chess championship
By Marlon Bernardino, Mon, 08 Sep 2025Remembering Gabriel ‘Flash’ Elorde: A Pilgrimage of Gratitude
By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, Sun, 07 Sep 2025Hometown Triumph: Oscar Valdez Defeats Ricky Medina by Decision
Sun, 07 Sep 2025Team USA Captures Two Wins on Day Three of 2025 World Boxing Championships
Sun, 07 Sep 2025McCormack Stops Parra in 9
Sun, 07 Sep 2025Monika Singh Makes History as India's Newest Youth World Champion
By Carlos Costa, Sun, 07 Sep 2025Who is Nico Walsh?
By Joaquin Henson, Sun, 07 Sep 2025Kelvin Watts Highlights Day Two of World Boxing Championships for Team USA
Sun, 07 Sep 2025Weigh-In Results: Oscar Valdez vs. Ricky Medina
Sat, 06 Sep 2025