WILL NIETES' DREAM COME TRUE?
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 08 Sep 2018
Donnie "Ahas" Nietes will fight for a world title in his fourth weight class when he battles Aston "Mighty" Palicte for the WBO super-flyweight title at The Forum in Inglewood, California as part of the "Super Fly 3" boxing promotion.
Nietes always thinks positive and is oozing with confidence that he will hurdle his taller and younger opponent.
?This is a dream come true for me to be fighting for a fourth division world title. We will put up a great show with Aston," declared Nietes in the final press conference.
Nietes is a three-time world champion in three weight classes, having previously won the WBO and The Ring magazine light flyweight titles, the WBO minimumweight and IBF flyweight titles.
The Murcia, Negros Occidental native is the longest-reigning Filipino boxing world champion having won title belts for 10 years and 8 months and still counting. He surpassed in 2014 the record set by Boxing Hall of Famer and world junior lightweight champion Gabriel "Flash" Elorde in 1967.
The ALA Gym standout is ranked first by The Ring, the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board and BoxRec in the flyweight category.
He is also currently ranked as the ninth best pound-for-pound fighter by The Ring. His record is 41-1-4 and 23 KOs. Palicte has 24-2 with 20 KOs.
On November 15, 2014, Nietes successfully defended his WBO and The Ring light flyweight titles by stopping Carlos Velarde of Mexico in the 7th round. He broke Elorde's record with that victory.
"This fight represents a lot to me as I will be seeking my fourth world championship in a fourth different weight division," Nietes said. "Winning the world title will put me at the level of Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire and will add worldwide recognition to my career."
Pacquiao is the only boxer to win world titles in eight weight divisions in history. Donaire won titles in flyweight, bantamweight, superbantamweight and featherweight divisions.
Boxing analyst Ed Tolentino said that if Nietes lacks the size, he has the advantage with his experience.
"Nietes' vast experience figures to come in handy. Palicte is a stand-up boxer-puncher. He owns a great jab and a solid overhand right. But he lacks the big-fight experience and there are persistent issues about his stamina,? Tolentino was quoted by ABS-CBN.
He added that Palicte does not move his head well, which makes him an easy target to Nietes' looping right-hand counters.
?Nietes will look to drag this fight into the trenches where the stamina of Palicte will be tested," Tolentino expounded.
But he clarified that it will not be that easy because Palicte's right hand will remain a constant threat. The lawyer and fighting enthusiast analyzes thar if Palicte ends up dictating the tempo with his ramming left jab, Nietes will have to exert double efforts to hit his target.
This is the second All-Filipino world title fight this year and third in history after Jerwin Ancajas vs. Jonas Sultan last May and Pancho Villa vs. Clever Sencio in 1925.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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