A HAPPY NEW YEAR FOR NIETES AND PHILIPPINE BOXING
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 02 Jan 2019
Donnie Nietes (42-1, 23 KOs) won a tough twelve round split decision over Kazuto Ioka (23-2, 13 KOs) on New Year's Eve at the Wynn Palace Cotai, Macao, China for the vacant World Boxing Organization world superflyweight title. Here's how the judges scored: Levi Martinez saw it 118-110 and Patricia Morse Jarman 116-112 for Nietes while judge Samuel Nieto scored it 116-112 for Ioka.
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Nietes now has a record 17-0-2, 7 KOs in major title fights. These include WBO minimumweight (2007-2011 with 4 defenses), WBO light flyweight (2011-2016 with 9 defenses), Ring Magazine junior flyweight (2014-2016 with 5 defenses) and IBF flyweight (2017-2018 with 1 defense).
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Nietes joined Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire Jr. in elite company as the only Filipino boxers who have won world titles in at least four weight divisions. With the win it was a happy happy new year for the ALA Gym stalwart and for the Philippine boxing fans.
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Judge Nieto who scored it eight rounds to four in favor of Ioka must be watching a different fight than the one that Nietes won. Experts saw the Filipino as the clear winner. Ioka spent a lot of time on defending himself from Nietes' blows instead of connecting on offense. The Filipino champ controlled the fight in most rounds because of the Japanese's shortcoming.
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It took Floyd Mayweather Jr. only 140 seconds to beat Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa in an exhibition boxing bout reportedly worth $9 million. Former pound-for-pound king of world Mayweather, 41, floored the 20-year-old foe three times. The fight was scheduled for three three-minute rounds, but ended in the first round when Nasukawa's corner threw in the towel.
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Manny Pacquiao did not mention Mayweather's name in a Tweet but obviously targetted his ill-matched exhibition against Nasukawa. The Tweet goes: ?Here is an early New Year?s resolution. To continue to only fight experienced opponents who are my size or bigger.?
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According to Top Rank CEO Bob Arum, Mayweather's boxing exhibition bout with Nasukawa is a complete joke and is nothing but a money grab. "It is a non-event. It is not a sporting event," Arum told TMZ Sports. "He needs money for Christmas and the New Year, and this is a good way for him to make some money. God knows Floyd always needs money."
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LeBron James saw his 2016 championship with Cleveland, with the Cavaliers surviving a 3-1 deficit to defeat a 73-win Golden State Warriors as the greatest moment of his basketball career. ?I was super, super ecstatic to win one for Cleveland because of the 52-year drought,? James said. ?The first wave of emotion was when everyone saw me crying, like, that was all for 52 years of everything in sports that?s gone on in Cleveland. And then after I stopped, I was like ... that one right there made you the greatest."
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Warriors want to add more size, even as they wait for DeMarcus Cousins' return. General manager Bob Myers declared: "With Damian (Jones) going down, we are currently operating with just two centers,? Myers said. ?DeMarcus coming back -- not sure when, not sure how long it will take him to get up to speed -- we still have a little bit of a void at the 5 spot, which we have to keep an eye on, whether that?s through trade or a buyout."
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Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar De La Hoya has since challenged UFC President Dana White to a physical fight atop the ring. But White is not interested in confronting De La Hoya in an actual fight. He wants to fight with the Olympic and world champion in a clash of business undertakings. White is planning to venture into professional boxing with his company, Zuffa Boxing, and he gives a signal that his boxing promotion will overshadow De La Hoya's Golden Boy.
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The 2019 Southeast Asian Games, the 30th edition of the SEA will be hosted by the Philippines from November 30 to December 11, 2019. Four designated venues Manila, Clark, Subic, and BLT (Batangas, La Union, and Tagaytay) will host the games. This will be the fourth time that the Philippines will host the SEA Games. Previously, it had also hosted the 1981, 1991 and 2005 editions of the games. The 2019 SEA Games will be the first edition to include e-sports and will have the highest number of sports at 55.
Happy New Year! From me and my wife Chona and sons Mallory, Marton and Marlon.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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