NIETES, GORRES RETURN TO LA, THANK SUPPORTERS
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 14 Sep 2009
LOS ANGELES, CA -- Conquering Filipino boxers Donnie Nietes and Z Gorres, accompanied by the rest of their team, arrived at 11 a.m. this morning in Los Angeles on Mexicana Airlines flight MX 639 after a long trip from Tepic, Nayarit via Guadalajara in Mexico. Nietes successfully defended his WBO mimimumweight title by defeating tough Interim champion Manuel Vargas of Mexico while Gorres won by 6th round TKO over rough opponent Cruz Carbajal at El Palenque de la Feria in Tepic last night.
Nietes and Gorres were accompanied by ALA VP Dennis Canete, trainers Edito and Edmund Villamor, AJ Banal and this writer. The group were met at the Tom Bradley International Airport by long time supporter Ronald Sanchez and the author's daughter Joan who immediately brought them to Sanchez's house at Melrose and Edgemont for lunch. Cutman Dr Allan Recto left Tepic for San Francisco right after the hostilities Saturday night.
"I wish to thank everyone who supported us," Nietes, whose fight with Vargas had been postponed three times and who himself stayed and trained in Los Angeles since May, said. "Thank you for your prayers. It was a tough fight for me but fortunately I am still the champion. Now all I want to do is to go home and see my family."
The entire ALA team will leave Monday night in Los Angeles via Philippine Airlines arriving in Manila early morning Wednesday, September 16. Ronald Sanchez and wife Carmina will host a farewell party for the Team tonight with several Los Angeles supporters also expected to attend.
Top photo: WBO minimumweight champion Donnie Nietes and bantamweight contender Z Gorres of the Philippines pose at the Tom Bradley International Airport in Los Angeles upon their arrival Sunday noon.
L-R: Edito Villamor, AJ Banal, Ronald Sanchez, WBO champion Donnie Nietes, Joan Secuya, Z Gorres, Edmund Villamor and ALA VP Dennis Canete at the Tom Bradley International Airport in Los Angeles Sunday.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dong Secuya.
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