NIETES PREDICTS KNOCKOUT WIN OVER NANTAPECH, WANTS TO UNIFY TITLES
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 11 Mar 2017
CEBU CITY ? The Philippines' longest reigning world champion Donnie 'Ahas' Nietes who ruled the minimumweight and junior flyweight divisions for ten years before recently venturing in the flyweight division, predicted a stoppage victory over his Thai opponent Komgrich Nantapech for the vacant IBF world flyweight title when they collide on April 29 at the Waterfront Hotel here in the 40th installment of the highly successful 'Pinoy Pride' series. Additionally Nietes daclared he wanted to unify the flyweight titles.
?Right now I feel very strong I have felt that my power has improved tremendously. I will knock him out 100% but I wouldn't say I will knock him out early,? Nietes, who returns to the same venue where he first became a world champion in 2007, told the Cebu media Friday night.
Trainer Edmund Villamor also echoed Nietes's sentiment. ?Nantapech is a brawler so he is tailor made for Donnie,? Villamor said. Nantapech has not faced a high caliber fighter in his resume and had loses against Nietes stablemate Albert Pagara (KO2), Japanese Sho Ishida (UD 8) and Filipino Froilan Saludar (UD 10).
Nietes however was quick to say that he was not over-confident. ?Whether my opponent's record and reputation is good or not good, I give him the same amount of preparation. As far as Nantapech is concerned, I have studied his fights carefully,? Nietes, who regularly spars with heavier boxers like bantamweight Arthur Villanueva, said and added, ?My opponent also trains very hard for this fight and also wants to beat me so I'm not over-confident.?
Top photo: Donnie Nietes poses with a photo of his opponent Gomgrich Nantapech during the press conference announcing their IBF world title fight Tuesday night at the St Mark's Hotel in Cebu City.
L-R: ALA Promotions operations head Jeanna Alvarez, Nietes's trainer Edmund Villamor, Nietes, matchmaker Edito Villamor and ALA PR manager Chelna Locaylocay Tuesday nights press conference.
Nietes (39-1-4, 22KOs) and Nantapech (22-3-0, 15KOs) fights for the IBF world flyweight title after former beltholder Johnriel Casimero of the Philippines vacated it last December to campaign in the super flyweight division. Nietes was ranked third and Nantapech fourth by the IBF in the division with the first and second ranking vacant.
If Nietes wins against Nantapech, he will become only the third Filipino to win titles in more than two weight divisions following the exploits of Nonito Donaire Jr (5) and Manny Pacquiao (8).
Nietes, whose original reason to campaign in flyweight was to seek a super fight with either pound for pound king Roman Gonzalez of Nicaragua or Juan Francisco Estrada of Mexico but since those two had already left the division, has said that at the moment he would like to unify the titles in the flyweight division.
?I may go up in weight to fight those guys but for now I want to fight for a title unification. I want to experience being a unified champion,? Nietes said.
Zou Shiming of China currently holds the WBO world flyweight championship belt where Nietes is the number contender. Kazuto Ioka of Japan, who previously won world titles at minimumweight and light flyweight is, the WBA world flyweight champion while Juan Hernandez of Mexico just captured the WBC world flyweight title after knocking out Nawaphon Kaikanha of Thailand last week (Mar 4) in Bangkok.
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