ON THE DECK: THE SNAKE VS THE MONKEY
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 12 Sep 2009
TEPIC, Nayarit -- In deference to the stealth action game 'Metal Gear Solid 3', boxing has its own version of 'The Snake vs the Monkey' when WBO minimumweight champion Donnie 'Ahas' (Snake) Nietes of the Philippines and Interim champion Manuel 'Chango' (Monkey) Vargas squares off tomorrow evening (Sunday morning in Manila) at the El Palenque de la Feria here.
Nietes has been well-known for having a phyton coiled around his neck during his fights in the Philippines and whose smooth moves in and out of his enemy's territory resembles that of the poisonous earth-crawler while Vargas has been nicknamed 'Chango' by the Mexican audience because "he fights like one". Whether it will be the snake's venom or the monkey's fast hands, will be known Saturday night who wins out. Nietes and Vargas both came in at 105 lbs during Friday afternoon's weighin.
"Walang takot, Pinoy to," Nietes told PhilBoxing.com while resting Friday night in his hotel room who together with Gorres who also sees action Saturday night agains Cruz Carbajal of Vera Cruz, looked happy and relaxed after both of them took their afternoon meals after the weighin.
"My request to my countrymen is to support us," Nietes said when asked what his message was to the Filipino people. "To pray for us, me and my compatriot Z Gorres, that nothing untoward will happen in the ring tomorrow night."
Nietes feels that the fight may go the full route. "I think the fight will go 12 rounds because Vargas is also good so I'm prepared for that. But if there is an opportunity to knock him out and finish the fight, I will grab the opportunity," Nietes said.
Vargas, on the other hand, speaking through an interpreter, says that he "expects a good fight tomorrow. I haven't saw his fights so I'll take it round by round. Let's see what happens but I expect the fight to last 12 rounds."
Nietes (24-1-3 14KO) won the WBO belt on September 30, 2007 by winning via unanimous decision over Pornsawan Porpramook Thailand in Cebu. He successfully defended the title twice, against Eddy Castro of Nicaragua (KO 2) on Aug. 30, 2008 in Cebu and then against Erik Ramirez of Mexico on Feb. 28, 2009 in Oaxaca, Mexico. This is Nietes' third defense of his title and the second defense inside Mexico.
GORRES FIGHT ON TV
Bantamweight contender Z Gorres, who faces Cruz Carbajal in a 10-round non-championship bout and who has become quite popular here, will open up the live TV broadcast in North American via TV Azteca, according Sean Gibbons of Top Rank. This will be followed by a 10-round bout between Fernando Montiel and Alexander Valdez whose world championship bout was cancelled two days ago. The Nietes vs Vargas WBO minimumweight championship bout will then take center stage and finally the 'Son of a Legend' Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. (39-0-1 29KO) squares off with the dangerous American Jason LeHoullier (21-1-1 8KO) in the main event. Solar Sports and CS/9 will telecast the fights in the Philippines.
Former light welterweight champion Jose Luis Castillo (59-9-1 50KO) continues his comeback bid by taking on Carlos Urias (41-21-0 30KO) in one of the undercards.
'Furia Latina Dos' in being promoted by Top Rank and Promociones Zanfer in association with e Nayarit Government.
Notes ... Dr Allan Recto of Laredo, Texas, who will be the cutman for Nietes and Gorres Saturday night, arrived Friday evening from New York where he attended the launching of the Pacquiao vs Cotto promotional tour. According to Dr Recto, he asked Roach if he had any message for Nietes to which Roach replied, "Nothing, he knows what to do." I missed Friday noon's weighin as I was downed by a mild food poising from the food I ordered from a Chinese restaurant here. I only recovered by late evening.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dong Secuya.
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