NIETES READY AS EVER FOR WBO TITLE DEFENSE
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 09 Aug 2010
WBO minimumweight champion Donnie Nietes says he is as ready as ever to defend his WBO minimum weight title against Mexico?s Mario Rodriguez on August 15, Manila Time, in the hometown of the challenger in Sinaloa, Mexico.
The 28 year old, soft-spoken but dedicated world champion from the ALA Gym has a record of 26-1-3 with 15 knockouts while the 21 year old Rodriguez, although his record of 10-5-3 with 7 knockouts may not look very impressive, is a dangerous opponent. Rodriguez is the WBC Continental Americas champion having won the title in a rematch against Raul Castaneda with a stunning 12th round TKO on May 15, 2009.
Nietes who is winding down training at the Wild Card Gym of Freddie Roach under trainer Edmund Villamor told us ?I am really ready and my sparring has gone well against former US amateur boxer David Clark,? the US National Championship bantamweight silver medalist in 2007.
Nietes said he had ?no problems at all? and was not going to let the title slip away from his grasp and would go for a convincing win, possibly by knockout.
Trainer Villamor said Nietes was in great condition and had sparred over 300 rounds in preparation for his third title defense in Mexico. Villamor said he was now entering a period if light training and concentrating on his lateral and head and was very pleased because Nietes was ?moving so well.?
The trainer said their fight plan was to study Rodriguez in the opening round instead of charging in but if Nietes connects with a good shot and hurts the challenger then he would try to take him out.
One of those who has watched Nietes train and has been very impressed is Vincent Parra, co-manager of undefeated Filipino southpaw Mercito ?No Mercy? Gesta who is also training at the Wild Card in preparation for an upcoming fight.
Parra told insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports that Team Gesta and Team Nietes spend much of their off-time together and that the style of Nietes ?reminds me so much of a young Cruz Carvajal, a fighter that my father trained and actually won the WBO crown.?
Parra said ?I love watching Donnie box. He is such a hard worker and is just a very good fighter.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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