NIETES STARTS WILD CARD TRAINING CAMP, AIMS TO REMAIN CHAMPION AT AN ADVANCED AGE
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 25 Jan 2018
International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight champion Donnie Nietes has started his training in the United States at Freddie Roach?s renowned Wild Card Gym in Hollywood and starts sparring sessions. He has two classy sparring partners which helps him prepare for his upcoming fight, Filipino-Hawaiian Brian Viloria and Mexican Ricardo Rodriguez. ?We have Viloria and Rodriguez,? Nietes? coach Edmund Villamor told SunStar Cebu. ?They are very good quality sparring partners. Viloria has skills, while Rodriguez is a fighter who wants to come in.?
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The three-division world champion Nietes is rigidly preparing for his first title defense of his IBF flyweight crown against former world champion Argentina's Juan Carlos Reveco in HBO Boxing?s ?Superfly 2? to be presented on February 24 at The Forum in Inglewood, California. The two-division world titleholder Viloria, 37, is also fighting in the same boxing card of Nietes for the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) flyweight title against unbeaten Artem Dalakian.
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"His condition is good. For now, we are still trying to adjust to the climate here,? said Villamor, who along with brother Edito Villamor, trains Nietes in California. ?We will also go to Nick Curson for our conditioning training.? The 34-year-old Reveco has a vast experienced and an excepional talent which could not be overlooked. He once held WBA titles in the light flyweight and flyweight divisions and is a veteran of 17 world title fights for 14 years. His last outing was a masterful beating of Komgrich Nantapech by unanimous decision last September. ?We have to watch out for his left hand,? warned Villamor.
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?Ahas? Nietes (40-1-4, 22 KOs) wants to join the list of fighters who stayed as champions despite their advanced age. ?I feel young at age 35 and I?m very positive of holding the title for a very long time,? said Nietes as quoted by Josef Ramos of Manila Times. ?There are many world champions who are older than me.? The Murcia, Negros Occidental-born champ was pointing to the durable Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez and the enduring American Bernard Hopkins, who remained champions even at the age of 40 plus.
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Edmund Villamor stated that it all depends on the boxer but Nietes is different and very disciplined. ?From the start, he is very conscious with his weight and body that is why his power, speed and footwork remain just like when he was in his 20s. At the same time, this fight is very important because the whole world will see it on HBO," added Villamor.
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The Nietes-Reveco title match was initially calendared in Bohol last November, but the team of Reveco (39-3, 19 KOs) declined to face Nietes in the Philippines. The Argentinian camp obviously was worried of a hometown decision. Both camps ultimately decided to schedule the fight to happen in the United States next month.
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Nietes considered Reveco as a brainy and skilled challenger. ?My opponent is a two-time world champion that?s why I?m very cautious. He really knows how to adjust in different situations. He has a good amateur background. I need to guard against his punches because he?s also fast,? added the ALA Gym star, a former WBO light flyweight and minimumweight champion.
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Over 70,000 tickets have been sold for the IBF, IBO, WBA Super and WBO world heavyweight title unification showdown between Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker at Principality Stadium in Cardiff on March 31, live on Sky Sports Box Office ? and a limited number of tickets will go on sale on Monday, January 29.
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"I like to fight, that's the main objective, and it's showing I'm never shy of a competition," said Joshua, who exults with a perfect record of 20 pro fights and 20 knockouts, as quoted by Sky Sports. He called Parker a respectable competitor, being the WBO heavyweight champion of the world. "So it's like one step closer to adding a strap to my legacy. That's what makes it exciting," added AJ.
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But Parker is insistent he will grab Joshua's two world titles and elongate his unbeaten professional record to 25 fights in victory. Parker warned that "Anthony Joshua is in for a huge shock." He said that a couple of months ago he heard him say, "Why should I be worried about this little kid from New Zealand?" Parker expounded that he's about to find out and the world is about to find out whether AJ can really take a punch.
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Cebu Sinulog 2018 Grand Parade
Sinulog-based winners:
1st place: Carcar City Division
2nd place: Banay Labangon
3rd place: Talisay City Central School
4th place: Municipality of Tuburan
5th place: Kulturang Panglaoanon - Municipality of Panglao
Free Interpretation winners:
1st place: Tribu Kandaya -Municipality of Daanbantayan
2nd place: Tribu Buyuganon - Municipality of Abuyog, Leyte
3rd place: Tribu Katbalaugan - Catbalogan City, Samar
4th place: Lumad Basakanon - Brgy. Basak San Nicolas
5th place: Tribu Kalivungan - North Cotabato
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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