SPORTS SHORTS 233: DONNIE NIETES TO FIGHT IN DUBAI BEFORE THE YEAR ENDS
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 06 Oct 2021
Four-division world titlist Donnie Nietes is expected to come back fighting in Dubai before the year 2021 ends. This was revealed by the Murcia, Negros Occidental native over SunStar Cebu.
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“I’m here always training with coach (Edmund Villamor). I’m not sure about the date but I have a fight before the end of the year. Maybe in November or December in Dubai,” Nietes said.
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Nietes, now aged 39 years, returned to his training camp under the watchful eyes of his old-time coach and buddy Edmund Villamor while still at the now-defunct ALA Boxing Gym. They are together again at the Villamor Brothers Boxing Gym in Mandaue City since the reopening of the gym last September after lifting the GCQ.
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Nietes' sparring partners for his next fight are his former stable mates at the ALA Gym, namely Jeo Santisima, KJ Cataraja and Esneth Domingo. Santisima challenged Emanuel Navarrete for the WBO junior featherweight world title, losing by technical knockout for his first KO defeat.
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Cataraja once held the WBO youth super flyweight title by defeating Mexican Victor Hugo Reyes by unanimous decision. Domingo recently defeated countryman Roland Jay Biendima by unanimous decision. He is the nephew of another former ALA standout Michael Domingo.
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When asked regarding his views on Manny Pacquiao's retirement, he supported the senator's move. “I agree with his decision. He has nothing to prove in boxing. Nobody can surpass what he has achieved,” said Nietes. “Manny is one of the best boxers, not only in the Philippines but the whole world.”
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Nietes won his fourth division world championship belt with a split decision over Kazuto Ioka in the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) super flyweight title fight on December 31, 2018 in Macau.
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When ordered by the WBO to defend the title, Nietes refused to rematch with mandatory challenger Aston Palicte whom he had a split draw on September 8, 2018 at The Forum, Inglewood, California in an All-Filipino world title fight. He was forced to give up his belt to look for more lucrative fights.
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He was hoping for a big time match with the superstars of the super flyweight division, like Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez, Juan Francisco Estrada and Srisaket Sor Rungvisai. But, Lady Luck frowned on him and never got to fight for more than two years especially with the threat of the pandemic.
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With the closure of the ALA Boxing Gym and the ALA Sports Promotions, Nietes signed up with the Dubai based MTK Global Promotions, a world renowned boxing promotional firm.
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Donnie Nietes (43-1-5, 23 KOs) showed to the boxing world that he can still pull the trigger in dominating Colombian foe Pablo Carillo (25-8-1, 16 KOs) via a 10 round unanimous decision to win the vacant WBO international super-flyweight title on April 3, 2021 at the Caesars Palace in Dubai, UAE.
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The judges saw the fight with the scores 96-95, 98-92, and 99-91. Nietes fought for the first time after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic and lack of worthy opponents. He showed he has gas left in his tank and was the better technical fighter. Nietes definitely showed no signs of ring rust even if he had a layoff of 27 months.
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The taller Nietes used his height advantage to keep his distance from the younger Carrillo, age 32 years. Nietes threw 241 jabs landing 39, as against Carillo's 195 connecting 21 per CompuBox.
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Although Carrillo connected 60 of 221 power punches thrown for 27%, Nietes connected 58 of 184 for a higher 32% connection rate. In total punches, Nietes had the edge 97 of 425 for 23%, while Carrillo got 81 of 416 for 19%.
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Right after the encounter, Nietes was back into the world rankings and is now in a better position to seek for a world title fight in three of the four major world boxing sanctioning bodies who rated him.
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Nietes is rated No. 2 by the WBO, whose present champion is Japanese Ioka, whom he once defeated. The No. 1 contender is Thai Sor Rungvisai.
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"Ahas" is ranked No. 4 by the WBA, where the title belt is held by Mexican Estrada. Gonzalez is the No. 1 contender, followed by Thai Sirichai Thaiyen at No. 2 and Russian Mikhail Aloyan at No. 3.
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The WBC listed Nietes at No. 6 with the title now declared vacant. Presently at No. 1 is Sor Rungvisai, followed by Nicaraguan Gonzalez at No. 2, Mexican Carlos Cuadras at No. 3, Mexican Pedro Guevara at No. 4 and Argentinian Fernando Martinez at No. 5.
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Nietes is ranked No. 8 by The Ring behind their superflyweight champion Juan Francisco Estrada, No. 1 Sor Rungvisai, No. 2 Chocolatito Gomzalez, No. 3 Kazuto Ioka, No. 4 Jerwin Amcajas, No. 5 Joshua Franco, No. 6 Carlos Cuadras, and No. 7 Francisco Rodriguez Jr.
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Nietes, who sports a professional record of 43-1-5 with 23 knockouts, still some good boxing years left in his career and will challenge for another world title soon when the opportunity comes.
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Two-time NBA champion Pau Gasol announced in a press conference Tuesday his retirement from his 19-year NBA career. He played the first four years of his professional career for FC Barcelona in Spain, before transferring to the NBA and drafted No. 3 in 2001 by the Atlanta Hawks then traded to the Memphis Grizzlies.
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He won two Spanish League championships and chosen as Spanish League finals MVP. In his first year in the NBA at the Grizzlies, he won Rookie of the Year, and was chosen as an All-Star once.
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His stint with the Los Angeles Lakers was the most successful as he made it to three All-Star appearances. Together with the late Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant, they made it to three NBA Finals, winning twice in back-to-back fashion in 2009 and 2010. They worked together for a 65-win season in L.A. en route to getting the title.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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