Nietes in hunt to reclaim crown
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 18 Nov 2021
Donnie Nietes.
Former WBO minimumweight, WBO lightflyweight, IBF flyweight and WBO superflyweight champion Donnie Nietes isn’t used to walking around without a crown and he’s back in the hunt to win another title. Last April, Nietes ended a 27-month layoff to outpoint Colombian Pablo Carillo and on Dec. 11, the man called “Ahas” takes another step towards a championship shot as he battles Dominican Republic’s Norbelto Jimenez in a WBA title eliminator in Dubai.
Nietes, 39, isn’t looking beyond Jimenez but admitted yesterday his sights are on super WBA 115-pound ruler Juan Francisco Estrada of Mexico. After disposing of Jimenez, Nietes plans to call out Estrada for a much-awaited showdown. Nietes’ trainer Edmund Villamor is confident of a win over Jimenez, ranked No. 5 by WBA and No. 8 by WBC. “Handa na kami sa laban,” said Villamor who trains Nietes in Cebu. “Ang style ni Jimenez, fighter at pasok ng pasok, daming suntok. Kaya pa ni Donnie maging world champion dahil sa kaniyang disiplina sa sarili at sa training.”
Nietes said he now weighs about 125 pounds and shouldn’t find it difficult to trim down to 115. Nietes and Villamor will fly to Dubai late this month or early the next. “”Di pwede mag-kompyansa kasi nakalaban na rin mga world champions si Jimenez,” said Nietes who recently signed a promotional contract with Richard Schaefer’s Probellum. “Kung bigyan tayo ng pagkakataon, ang target ko sana si Estrada.” The WBA recognizes Estrada as its “super” champion and American Joshua Franco as its “regular” titleholder. Villamor said he hopes either Estrada or Franco will be next in line for Nietes who is ranked No. 4 by WBA, No. 2 by WBO and No. 6 by WBC.
Jimenez, 30, has fought twice for the WBA superflyweight belt, drawing with Japan’s Kohei Kono in Tokyo in 2014 and losing to Khalid Yafai on points in Rhode Island in 2019. Veteran ring official Silvestre Abainza was a judge in the Kono-Jimenez fight and scored it for the Japanese champion, 116-111. Abainza picked Nietes to beat Jimenez by decision. “Matalino si Donnie, nasa kondisyon at sobrang experienced,” said Abainza. “Magandang laban kasi si Jimenez ‘di umaatras. Si Donnie, marunong laruin ang kalaban.”
Jimenez got off to a slow start as a pro, losing seven of his first eight then rebounded by avoiding defeat in 32 of his last 33 to raise his record to 30-9-5, with 16 KOs. Nietes’ slate is 43-1-5, with 23 KOs. His only setback was a disputed split decision to Indonesia’s Angky Angkota in Jakarta in 2004.
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