WBO clarifies no title eliminator
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 18 Dec 2021
Nietes (R) tangles with Jimenez in Dubai.
WBO Asia-Pacific chairman Leon Panoncillo said yesterday the recent Donnie Nietes-Norbelto Jimenez fight in Dubai was not a superflyweight title eliminator and clarified it was a defense of the Filipino’s international 115-pound crown. The outcome was a split 10-round draw where Hungarian judge Zoltan Enyedi saw it 96-94 for Jimenez, St. Thomas judge Francis Jackson 96-94 for Nietes and Spanish judge Fernando Laguna 95-all. The disparity was so diverse that Nietes received the unanimous nod of the three judges in only two rounds, the first and seventh, while Jimenez only one, the fourth.
There was confusion at the end of the fight as both Nietes and Jimenez thought it was for 12 rounds. Hungarian referee Bence Kovac did not ask the fighters to touch gloves before the bell to start the final stanza. “It was planned as a WBA eliminator, maybe that’s why they thought it was for 12 rounds (but) it didn’t materialize,” said Panoncillo, a Filipino-Hawaiian based in Thailand. “The sanctioning of Donnie’s international defense was a last minute request and it was approved as a 10-round championship defense.” Because it wasn’t a title eliminator, Panoncillo said Nietes is free to engage in a world championship bout if his promoter Probellum can arrange it.
Nietes, who arrived in Cebu from Dubai last Thursday, said he won at least seven rounds over Jimenez whom he described as a dirty fighter. “Payag ako mag-rematch sa Dubai para patunayan ko na ako ang dapat nanalo,” he said. “Groggy siya sa first round at sa eighth round, biglang tumigil siya pagkatapos kong sinuntok sa tiyan at inakap ako. Ilang beses niya akong inipit ng kamay tapos sinuntok ako at tinutulak ang ulo ko pababa. Sa fourth round, tinulak niya ako sa lona tapos diniin niya ang tuhod sa paa ko. Once lang binigyan siya ng warning ng referee for holding. Sa seventh round, tinamaan ko siya sa tiyan tapos nag-complain ng low blow. Hindi naman, sabi ko sa referee pero binigyan siya ng oras para maka-recover.” Jimenez, a Dominican Republic native like Agapito Sanchez who was the dirtiest fighter ever faced by Manny Pacquiao in 2001, even threw a punch from behind his back to throw off Nietes in the sixth round.
“’Di ako napagod,” said Nietes. “Malaki siya at mahaba pero no problem. Kulang ako sa pressure at ‘yan ang pagaaralan kong gawin sa next fight. Kung maayos ng promoter ko na world title fight ang susunod, handa ako. ‘Di ako kontento sa tabla, dapat akong nanalo.” Since it wasn’t a title eliminator, Nietes said he’s ready to take on super WBA champion Juan Francisco Estrada or regular WBA ruler Joshua Franco or WBO king Kazuto Iota or even Filipino IBF king Jerwin Ancajas. He’s just looking for a shot at a world title.
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