New challenge for Nietes
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 25 Sep 2016
The Philippines? longest uninterrupted reigning world champion Donnie Nietes is now without a title. He relinquished the WBO lightflyweight crown recently to move up to the 112-pound division in a quest for his third world diadem.
It?s unusual for the Philippines not to include Nietes or Manny Pacquiao among the existing Filipino world champions. But at the moment, they?re not in the cast which lists WBO bantamweight titlist Marlon Tapales, IBF flyweight king John Riel Casimero, IBF superflyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas and WBO superbantamweight ruler Nonito Donaire, Jr. Pacquiao, however, gets the chance to regain the WBO welterweight belt when he faces defending champion Jessie Vargas in Las Vegas on Nov. 5. Nietes will wait his turn to try for the WBO flyweight title and it could come sooner than later if he beats former WBC lightflyweight champion Edgar Sosa of Mexico in the 12-round Pinoy Pride 38 mainer at the StubHub Center in Carson, California, this morning (Manila time).
Nietes, 34, is the WBO?s No. 1 contender in the flyweight division where the throne is vacant. Mexico?s Juan Francisco Estrada recently surrendered the crown to campaign in the superflyweight class. The No. 2 contender is China?s two-time Olympic gold medalist Zou Shiming and the No. 3 contender is Thailand?s Prasitsak Papoem, known as Kwanpichit Onesongchai Gym. In the Pacquiao-Vargas undercard, Zou and Kwanpichit will face off in a title eliminator. It?s a grudge rematch since Zou outpointed Kwanpichit to deal the Thai his only pro setback in Macau two years ago. Zou floored Kwanpichit thrice but couldn?t finish off the durable Thai as the Chinese star, whose mentor is Freddie Roach, fought with his left eye swollen shut the last four rounds because of an accidental headbutt.
The winner of the Zou-Kwanpichit rematch will be pitted against the No. 1 contender for the vacant throne. If Nietes beats Sosa, he?ll remain the No. 1 contender with the right to be first in line for a title shot. Both Zou and Kwanpichit are 35. Zou has an 8-1 record, with 2 KOs. His only loss was to former IBF flyweight champion Amnat Roenrueng who lost his crown to Casimero. Kwanpichit totes a 39-1-2 record, with 24 KOs, and his list of victims includes Filipinos Dondon Jimenea,Fredirex Rodriguez, Noli Morales twice, Noel Adelmita, Fernando Ocon, Roilo Golez, Ben Mananquil, Jayar Estremos and Richard Rosales.
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For Nietes, the immediate priority is to dispose of Sosa but it won?t be easy. Sosa, 37, is a grizzled warrior with a 52-9 record, including 30 KOs. He has beaten Filipinos Brian Viloria (majority decision), Sonny Boy Jaro (surviving a knockdown to win on points), Juanito Rubillar, Ryan Bito and Roilo Golez. The only Filipino whom Sosa failed to defeat was Rodel Mayol. In 2009, Mayol ended Sosa?s two-year reign as WBC lightflyweight king with a second round stoppage. Sosa previously made 10 successful title defenses before encountering Mayol.
Nietes is a former WBO minimumweight and lightflyweight champion with a 38-1-4 record, including 22 KOs. Whether his power packs as much impact in the flyweight division will be revealed against Sosa. Nietes hasn?t lost since dropping a disputed split decision to Angky Angkota, who outweighed him by six pounds, in Jakarta in 2004. He?s unbeaten in his last 27 outings. In 2007, Nietes captured the WBO 105-pound title, turned back four challengers, including three in Mexico, and gave up the throne in 2010. Then, in 2011, he took the WBO 108-pound crown. Nietes retained the title in nine defenses before moving up to the flyweight division to open a new chapter in his storybook career.
?It will definitely be a big test for Donnie on how he does at 112,? said ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer who?s staging the StubHub card with ABS-CBN. ?An impressive win over Sosa, a former world champion, will validate Donnie?s move to 112 and the chance to capture another world title.? Aldeguer said if Nietes hurdles Sosa, he hopes to promote the duel for the vacant WBO throne against either Zou or Kwanpichit in Manila or Cebu ?but we are also open to fighting abroad.? He also said he hopes Nietes? power will carry over to the flyweight division and it will be found out against Sosa. In Friday?s weigh-in, Nietes tipped the scales at exactly 112 while Sosa checked in at 111.5.
For Sosa, it?s his last window of opportunity to pursue a second world title. He was thwarted thrice in bids for the world flyweight crown, losing to Pongsaklek Wonjongkam in 2011, Akira Yaegashi in 2013 and Chocolatito Gonzalez last year. Sosa insists he?s far from shop-worn and last February, made a quiet comeback by outpointing unheralded Orlando Guerrero in a six-rounder. If he loses to Nietes badly, it could be curtains in Sosa?s career.
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Two other ALA fighters will see action in the StubHub bill. Unbeaten Mark (Magnifico) Magsayo of Tacloban stakes his WBO International featherweight title against Mexico?s dangerous Ramiro Robles in a 12-rounder while King Arthur Villanueva defends his WBO Asia Pacific bantamweight crown against Mexico?s Juan Jimenez in another 12-rounder. Additionally, Fil-Am Joel (The Quiet Storm) Siapno battles Isaac Freeman in a superwelterweight 6-rounder. Siapno, 24, is a nursing graduate and has a 2-1-1 record, with 2 KOs. His parents are from Pangasinan.
?After the impressive win of Magsayo over (Chris) Avalos (in Cebu last April), many have been saying he has the potential to be a star but I believe Mark still has a long way to go,? said Aldeguer. ?He has to show that he can be consistent with another impressive win over Robles. However, what could steal the show is the rematch between Villanueva and Jimenez.?
Magsayo, 21, came off the canvas to stop Avalos in the sixth round of a brutal brawl and raised his record to 14-0, with 11 KOs. Robles was a late replacement for original opponent Ruben Garcia who backed out due to an injury in training. But Robles, a 23-year-old southpaw, is no slouch with a 13-5-1 record, including 8 KOs. He won 13 of his first 14 bouts and is coming off a fifth round stoppage of Gregorio Perez. Magsayo can?t be too careful in handling Robles.
Villanueva, 27, and Jimenez, 24, were involved in a bitter slam-bang encounter that had a controversial ending in Bacolod last May. Villanueva was decked in the second round and Jimenez went down in the third. On the attack, Villanueva swarmed all over Jimenez for the kill in the fourth. Jimenez crumpled to the floor, badly dazed and was counted out by referee Dan Nietes. But a TV replay showed Jimenez was butted and fell because of it. The rematch should settle the score once and for all.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joaquin Henson.
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