OFFICIALS FOR NIETES-RODRIGUEZ TITLE FIGHT HAVE ARRIVED
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 14 Aug 2010
GUASAVE ? The WBO officials for Donnie Nietes's title defense tomorrow night (Sunday morning in Manila) against local boy Mario Rodriguez have arrived into this subdued town with a population of less than 100,000.
Supervisor is Rafael Lopez Santos of Mexico City, the third man in the ring is Raul Caiz Sr of West Covina, CA and the judges are Levi Martinez of New Mexico, USA, Alejandro Lopez of Mexico City and Thomas Nardone of Florida, USA.
The veteran Raul Caiz, whose career as ring official spanned 24 years, last refereed during the Andre Ward vs Allan Green WBA super middleweight title fight in Oakland, CA last June. His most recent high profile outings included the Maidana-Ortiz and the Mosley-Margarito fights of 2009 and the Vargas-Mayorga fight in 2007. Caiz is the father of Raul Jr who is also making a name for himself as a referee and a judge.
Levi Matinez of New Mexico, USA is also another veteran ring official who started judging fights in 1993. His last assignment was for the WBA welterweight title fight between Viacheslav Senchenko and Charlie Jose Navarro in Donetsk, Ukraine on Aug. 30 this year.
Alejandro Lopez of Mexico City is an 8-year veteran judge who sit as a judge in the Johnriel Casimero vs Ramon Garcia Hirales fight last July in Los Monchis, Richie Mepranum vs Julio Cesar Miranda in Puebla last June and the Ulises Solis vs Bert Batawang second fight in Baja California on March 27 this year. Unfortunately for the Filipino fighters in these fights, they all lost.
Thomas Nardone of Florida, USA last sit as a judge in the Saul Alvarez vs Luciano Lionel Cuello WBC Silver light middleweight battle in Guadalajara, Mexico on July 7, 2010. More importantly, Nardone was also one of the judges during Nietes's last outing in Mexico against Manuel Vargas in Nayarit which Nietes won by split decision. Nardone scored that bout in Nietes's favor 118-110.
Official weighin will be at 1:30 p.m. local time Friday while undercard bouts start at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Auditorio Luis Estrada Medina here in Guasave.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dong Secuya.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Deniega to fight Oka in Japan
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 02 Jan 2026Illness forces Paddy Donovan to withdraw from IBF Welterweight World Eliminator January 16 versus Liam Paro in Australia
Fri, 02 Jan 2026Canadian World Cruiserweight Contender Ryan Rozicki returning to ring March 7th
Thu, 01 Jan 2026Lover Boy on hot streak
By Joaquin Henson, Wed, 31 Dec 2025Silvano fights Gurung on January 13 in Hong Kong
By Lito delos Reyes, Wed, 31 Dec 2025GM Laylo faces tough competition in Caloocan rapid chess
By Marlon Bernardino, Wed, 31 Dec 2025GOLDEN BOY DELIVERS A LOADED UNDERCARD OF STAR PROSPECTS FOR ROCHA VS. CURIEL II
Wed, 31 Dec 2025Arca wins silver in Eastern Asian Juniors Chess Championships 2025
By Marlon Bernardino, Wed, 31 Dec 2025Donaire awaits WBA order
By Joaquin Henson, Tue, 30 Dec 2025Anthony Joshua injured in car crash in Nigeria
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Tue, 30 Dec 2025Sampson Boxing Signs Red Hot Middleweight Vito Mielnicki Jr to Exclusive Promotional Contract
Tue, 30 Dec 2025Undefeated Carl Jammes Martin Plots Next Move as New Year Unfolds
Mon, 29 Dec 2025Alvin Gayeta Roma leads Mansa Engineering Consultancy Team B to rule New York Chess Academy Team Tournament; pockets P100,000
By Marlon Bernardino, Mon, 29 Dec 2025Llover, Casimero stop foes in Japan
By Lito delos Reyes, Sun, 28 Dec 2025Organizing Committee Meets for Dr. Eugene Torre Rapid Chess Tournament Honoring FIL-CHI’s Golden Anniversary
Sun, 28 Dec 2025