Will Nietes turn Palicte away?
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 11 Feb 2019
There?s a possibility that WBO superflyweight champion Donnie Nietes will decline to face mandatory challenger and countryman Aston Palicte in a rematch and instead, battle WBA titlist Khalid Yafai in a unification duel on the same card as WBC ruler Srisaket Sor Rungvisai?s defense against Mexico?s Juan Francisco Estrada in April or May at the Stub Hub Center in Carson, California.
Palicte, 28, fought Nietes, 36, to a split draw in a bout for the vacant WBO 115-pound crown at the Forum in Inglewood last August. The WBO then tapped Nietes to meet Japan?s Kazuto Ioka for the vacant throne and ordered Palicte to take on Puerto Rico?s unbeaten Jose Martinez in a title eliminator. As it turned out, Nietes outpointed Ioka to claim the belt while Palicte blasted Martinez into submission in two rounds to earn the right to challenge the new champion.
Matchroom Boxing?s Eddie Hearn recently announced that he is finalizing a card to feature Rungvisai against Estrada and Yafai against Nietes with the winners of both matches advancing to unify the WBO, WBA and WBC titles. Hearn has a tie-up with DAZN (Da-Zone), a subscription video streaming service for live and on-demand events. DAZN will make streaming available for 32 cards that Hearn is prepared to showcase in a year. Of the 32, 16 are earmarked for the US. The deal is for two years, renewable for another six with a total budget of $1 Billion. Rungvisai and Yafai are managed by Hearn.
After Palicte mowed down Martinez, he called out Nietes during an interview in the ring. ?Nietes, see you next fight,? he said. But Palicte?s manager Jason Soong said the call-out was nothing personal. ?Our No. 1 goal is to be a world champion,? said Soong. ?We aren?t going for Nietes. We just want that world championship and of course, preferably it?s not against a fellow Pinoy.?
Soong said Nietes? manager ALA Boxing ?may have offers to cross over to another sanctioning body.? If Nietes meets Yafai and unifies the WBO/WBA title, it?s likely he?ll relinquish the WBO crown, leaving it open for Palicte to claim.
ALA Boxing president Michael Aldeguer said nothing is final at the moment. ?We are looking at different options now and the priority is for Donnie to get the biggest fights out there as he believes he can always find a way to win over anyone,? he said. ?Donnie wants to fight the winner of the Rungvisai-Estrada fight or do a unification with Yafai. If he has a choice, he doesn?t want to fight another Filipino again.?
Aldeguer said Nietes will skip a mandatory defense against Palicte if he engages Yafai in a unification fight. Yafai, 29, has a 25-0 record, with 15 KOs. So far, the Englishman has repulsed four challengers. Rungvisai, 32, and Estrada, 28, are no strangers to each other. Last year, the Thai outpointed Estrada on a majority decision. IBF champion Jerwin Ancajas, who is promoted by Top Rank, challenged Rungvisai recently to a unification showdown but was turned down when the Thai signed up with Hearn to square off with Estrada next.
Palicte?s trainer Rodel Mayol, formerly the WBC lightflyweight champion, said in a rematch against Nietes, the outcome will be beyond doubt. ?Si Nietes, kayang-kaya ni Aston,? said Mayol. ?Kinulang si Aston sa preparation at nagkasakit three weeks before the fight kaya medyo kinapos. Pero para sa akin, sana hindi na sila mag-rematch kasi una, parehas Pilipino at pangalawa, kaunti ang manonood sa laban at kaunti rin ang kita. Mga fans na manonood ay karamihan mga Pinoy hindi kagaya ng kalaban Mexicano or ibang lahi, medyo marami ang manonood. In case matuloy ang rematch, kailangan 100 percent ang kondisyon ni Aston kasi dapat pasukin niya si Nietes at kayang-kaya niyang i-knock-out sa rematch kung nasa mabuting condisyon siya.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joaquin Henson.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 18 JANUARY 2026: Nikita Tszyu-Michael Zerafa End in No Contest; Raul Curiel Outpoints Jordan Panthen
By Eric Armit, Mon, 19 Jan 2026Ryan Daye ready for WBC title Clash March 13 in Perth – Thunderdome 53
Mon, 19 Jan 2026RAUL “EL CUGÁR” CURIEL CRUISES TO UNANIMOUS DECISION WIN OVER JORDAN “THE PATRIOT” PANTHEN
Sat, 17 Jan 2026Weights from Philadelphia
Sat, 17 Jan 2026Mexico Commemorates 12th Death Anniversary of Don Jose Sulaiman (Photos)
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Sat, 17 Jan 2026MOLLY McCANN EYES 'HUGE' STATEMENT START TO 2026 AS SHE JOINS BUMPER WOOD-WARINGTON CARD IN NOTTINGHAM ON FEBRUARY 21
Sat, 17 Jan 2026NEW MAIN EVENT ANNOUNCED! RAUL CURIEL SCHEDULED TO FACE JORDAN PANTHEN IN MIDDLEWEIGHT SCRAP
Fri, 16 Jan 2026SMALLS VS RAMOS TOPS STACKED UNDERCARD FOR NAVARRETE-NUNEZ BLOCKBUSTER IN GLENDALE
Fri, 16 Jan 2026Usyk Linked to Zuffa Boxing Deal as Questions Loom Over Title Defenses
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Fri, 16 Jan 2026Abass Baraou: "No One Has Been Able to Withstand My Pressure!"
Fri, 16 Jan 2026Wise Owl Boxing Signs Rising Female Star Chantel “Chicanita” Navarro
Fri, 16 Jan 2026Mauricio Sulaiman: WBC wants to protect fighters' dream of becoming a world champion
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Thu, 15 Jan 2026Xander Zayas: "It's Time to Make History!"
Thu, 15 Jan 2026Weights from Trenton, NJ
Thu, 15 Jan 2026Pro Boxer and Recent Grad Returns for Fight Night on the Farm — Celebrating Stanford’s Boxing Community
Thu, 15 Jan 2026