STORY OF PHILIPPINE BOXING PART XLVIII: DONNIE NIETES, THE SNAKE CARETAKER WHO BECOMES WBO WORLD MINIMUMWEIGHT CHAMPION
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 13 Jun 2020
Donnie "Ahas" Nietes was born on May 12, 1982 (now aged 38) in Murcia, Negros Occidental.
At an early age, like his father and uncle, he took up boxing originally just for fun. But he eventually got obsessed with the sport.
When he was 19 and just graduated from a two-year college course, he won several inter-barangay, district and regional meets as an amateur fighter. There was no more challenge in his hometown, so he travelled to Cebu and worked as a janitor at the ALA Gym.
Nietes was brave enough to clean the cages of Antonio L. Aldeguer’s big pythons and endured the poison-less snake bites. But when he was already very familiar with the snakes he was no longer bitten. Thus the moniker "Ahas" for snake.
On April 25, 2003, at the age of 20, Nietes started his career as a professional boxer by winning over Walter Suaybaguio by unanimous decision in six rounds in San Fernando, Cebu.
Then he won over Mario Jun de Asis by UD, Romeo Tura by 1st round TKO, Roldan Malinao by 4th round KO, Rolando Baclayo by 4th round KO, Julius Alcos by SD, Robert Rubillar by 7th round TKO, while drawing with Greg Mangan by MD.
On May 22, 2004, he won the Philippines Boxing Federation (PBF) light flyweight title against Joseph Villasis via first-round technical knockout. Villasis went down three times in the first round causing thre stoppage of the bout held in Mandaue City.
Then Nietes knocked out Bobong Costelo in the very 1st round, and defeated Marti Polii of Indonesia by 7th round TKO when Polii could not continue to fight due to a broken nose.
He also floored Indonesian Abrin Matta twice in the 2nd round enroute to a 4th round TKO.
Nietes suffered his only defeat so far in his bout against Angky Angkota via 10-round split decision on September 28, 2004 at the RCTI Studio, Jakarta, Indonesia. Angkota weighed in six pounds over the weight limit for the fight. It was considered a controversial home town decision.
Then he drew with Carlo Besares and defeated Ricardo Albia by 7th round TKO, Elmer Muyco by UD, Allan Dugang by UD, Randy Narbay by 2nd round KO, Allan Dugang by UD in a rematch, Noel Veronque by UD, and Robert Rubillar by UD.
He had a technical draw with Nino Suelo when the fight was stopped due to a cut caused by an accidental head butt in the 1st round.
On November 24, 2006, Nietes won the vacant WBO Asia Pacific minimumweight championship against Heri Amol of Indonesia via 2nd round knockout in Mandaue City.
He defended the title against Thai boxer Jadsada Polyiam alias Thongthailek Sor Tanapinyo by 2nd round KO in Victorias City and against another Thai challenger Saengpetch Sor Sakulphan alias Sakulpan Pakdee Gym by 7th round TKO in Cebu City.
On September 30, 2007, Nietes battled the then undefeated Somporn Seeta alias Pornsawarn Kratingdaenggym of Thailand for the vacant WBO minimumweight world championship at the Waterfront Hotel, Cebu City.
Nietes floored Kratingdaenggym in the 4th round, but the Thai opponent survived up to the final round. The judges scored a unanimous decision for Nietes and he became a world champion for the first time.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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