SPORTS SHORTS 47: MTK GLOBAL AND D4G PROMOTE DONNIE NIETES' NEXT FIGHT IN DUBAI
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 06 Feb 2021
Four-division champion Donnie Nietes will fight in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, together with Prince Albert Pagara, as announced on April 3, still with an unknown opponent. He has signed with MTK Global and D4G Promotions to recover lost opportunity when he was inactive for two years. The former ALA Gym utility turned world champion was very happy with this new step in his career. He is very grateful being a part of this new team. Nietes, the longest reigning Filipino world champion, has not fought since beating Kazuto Ioka of Japan for the WBO super flyweight title in December 31, 2018 in Macau.
* * *
Nietes has been idle for two years and when ALA Sports Promotions closed last August after 35 years in the boxing enterprise he found a new home. “He’s already had tremendous success in his career having won world titles in four-weight classes, and we’re confident of securing some huge fights for him in the always-entertaining super-flyweight division,” Paul Gibson, chief strategy officer of MTK Global, said.
* * *
The 38-year-old Nietes has revived his dream of facing the biggest names in the superflyweight division. He said he is happy with what he achieved so far in the 18 years of his fighting career. "I’m not done yet and I am now hoping to get a fight with (Juan) Estrada, (Srisaket) Rungvisai and Chocolatito (Roman Gonzalez)," declared the Murcia, Negros Occidental native. He promised he bring pride to MTK Global, D4G Promotions and our country.
* * *
“He still has his skills, speed, power and quickness. We just need to perfect it because he had a long layoff. We need to consistently train so that we can perfect his timing,” said trainer Edmund Villamor as quoted by Eri Aznar of SunStar Cebu. Nietes is rigidly training at the Villamor Brothers Boxing Gym and Villamor is impressed with Donnie’s work ethic. “If there’s an upcoming fight, he would train really hard. He would do everything I ask from him in training and never complain. He has always been like this since he started as a pro up until now. He still has the same attitude since day one,” added Villamor.
* * *
"It’s an honour to announce the signing of Donnie Nietes, and both us and MTK Global are extremely excited to be working with such a huge talent. There are some massive fights out there for him, and we are looking forward to seeing him showcase his skills when he makes his long-awaited return in the near future," said Ahmed A. Seddiqi of D4G Promotions (Destined for Greatness Promotions) if Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
* * *
MTK Global (Mack The Knife Global) is a boxing and MMA management and event promotions company founded by Daniel Kinahan and former professional boxer Matthew Macklin in 2012, originally established as MGM (Macklins Gym Marbella). Since its founding, MTK Global has signed a host of world class fighters, including Tyson Fury, Billy Joe Saunders, Josh Taylor, Carl Frampton, Terry Flanagan, Charlie Edwards, Rocky Fielding, Hughie Fury, Michael Conlan, Paddy Barnes, Jamel Herring, and Amansio Paraschiv.
* * *
MTK Global was originally founded as MGM, an acronym for Macklins Gym Marbella, because the company started as a boxing gym in Marbella, Spain, in September 2012. In 2017, after long negotiations with MGM Grand Resort and Casino over the dispute on their names, MGM has been changed to MTK Global. In December 2017, UFC star Darren Till signed with the promotions firm, and it marked MTK Global's venture into MMA. In March 2019, it was announced that MTK Global and Top Rank had signed a multi-year deal that contracted MTK's events to be broadcasted exclusively on ESPN platforms in the United States.
* * *
History was made on April 5, 2019 at Emirates Golf Club Dubai when D4G Promotions, partnered with MTK Global to produce the first live televised professional fight night from Dubai, featuring professional fighters from 22 countries and it attracted fans from all over the world and the event was broadcasted to over 100 million viewers across ESPN+ and IFL TV. In the 12-round main event, Nigerian power puncher Aliu Bamidele “Lucky Boy” Lasisi (12-0, 8 KOs) defeated Nicaraguan Ricardo Blandon (10-1, 6 KOs) by unanimous decision for the vacant WBC international super flyweight title.
* * *
UFC superstar Conor McGregor believed that he focused too much on a proposed boxing match with Manny Pacquiao while preparing for the rematch with Dustin Poirier, who knocked him out in the second round in UFC 257. Prior to the fight, McGregor's team was negotiating a match with Pacquiao in 2021. McGregor now wants to fight a trilogy with Poirier and has learned his lesson to focus on mixed martial arts at the moment. And the Pacquiao bout is set aside as of now. "A little single disciplined in my approach and stance with mostly boxing. It’s what I get for picking this bout and opponent as a precursor to a boxing match against Pacman," said "The Notorious". "I deserved to get the legs kicked off me going in with this thinking. This is not the game to play around with."
* * *
Tokyo was selected as the 2020 Olympics host city during the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on September 7, 2013. The 2020 Games will be the second time that Japan, particularly Tokyo, hosted the Summer Olympic Games. The first one was in 1964, making it the first city in Asia to host the Summer Olympics twice. This will be also the fourth Olympic Games to be held in Japan, which also held the Winter Olympics in 1972 in Sapporo and 1998 in Nagano. The 2020 Games will also be the second of three consecutive Olympics to be held in East Asia, the first was in Pyeongchang County, South Korea for the 2018 Winter Games, and the next was in Beijing, China for the 2022 Winter Games.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Life vs. Death: The Ultimate Ringside Showdown Immortalized in Pierce Egan’s Boxiana
By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, Sat, 23 Nov 2024SPORTS SHORTS 284: TEAM MARK MAGSAYO CONFIRMS RETURN TO THE RING ON DECEMBER 14
By Maloney L. Samaco, Sat, 23 Nov 2024RJP Boxing promotes in Bucana on Dec. 17
By Lito delos Reyes, Sat, 23 Nov 2024Good Prospects at Minimumweight, Light Fly, Super Bantam and Super Feather in 2025
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Sat, 23 Nov 2024Filipino International Master Chito Danilo Garma is the new World Senior Blitz champion; Filipino FIDE Master Mario Mangubat takes the bronze medal
By Marlon Bernardino, Sat, 23 Nov 2024KAMBOSOS JR SIGNS CO-PROMOTIONAL DEAL WITH MATCHROOM
Sat, 23 Nov 2024INTERNATIONAL BOXING HALL OF FAME TO ANNOUNCE CLASS OF 2025 ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5th
Sat, 23 Nov 2024Ring Master promotes in Calinan on Dec. 21
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 22 Nov 2024NP Bansalan boxing team in Matalam
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 22 Nov 2024New York, Minnesota Biggest Trade Gainers; Los Angeles Has the Rookie Draft Steal
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Fri, 22 Nov 2024Filipino IM Bagamasbad prevails
By Marlon Bernardino, Fri, 22 Nov 2024DC girl’s futsal in Palawan now
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 22 Nov 2024Filipino FIDE Master Ivan Travis Cu is ready to face challenge
By Marlon Bernardino, Fri, 22 Nov 2024Dante Kirkman Secures First Career Knockout with 3rd Round TKO Victory
Fri, 22 Nov 2024Filipino Middleweight Star Blazen Rocili Set to Return to the Ring This Saturday in San Antonio, TX
Thu, 21 Nov 2024